Randy Sparrow

[Wez]

I've not done a brew since 21st November (Glasshouse Porter) so it's time to get the boiler on again this week (probably Wednesday) It's about time that I gave a beer a name fitting for 'The Fledgling Brewery' and I've come up with this which will be 'Randy Sparrow' I expect by the time i'm drinking it the sparrows will be at it like rabbits I've tried to keep it simple(ish) bittering with Challenger and then Fuggles at 10mins and steeped while cooling, hoping for a nice bitter with floral aroma - comments on the recipe welcome.

Randy Sparrow

25L Batch
Target OG : 1.044
Target EBU : ~40

Grain
4400gm Pale Malt (Fawcett MO) (Grain 89%)
250gm Crystal Malt (Grain 5.5%)
250gm Torrified Wheat (Grain 5.5%)
Hops
60gm Challenger [AA 6.80 %] (90 min)
30.00 gm Fuggles [AA 4.00 %] (10 min)
30.00 gm Fuggles [AA 4.00 %] (steeped during cooling)
Other
1 Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 min)
1 Safale S-04

I'm going to crash cool for a week after fermentation has finished and add Aux finings - I did this with Big Kenny Scottish Ale and it turned out polished.

Oh, and i'll be test driving the refractometer Mrs Wez got me for Christmas

[roger the dog]

Looks good to me Wez, great name BTW. How exactly do you 'crash cool' & does it add anything to the brew apart from improving the clarity ?

[Wez]

Looks good to me Wez, great name BTW. How exactly do you 'crash cool' & does it add anything to the brew apart from improving the clarity ?

Cheers RTD. I've got a large fridge in the garage that I use in the summer to hold kegs at 13 degrees, when I brewed Big Kenny I took the advice from the guy at my local micro and put the FV in there and dropped the temp to about 4 degrees and added Aux Finings, after a week it was crystal clear, the noticable difference was that on top of the yeast layer that had dropped out at the bottom there was another layer of greyish 'gunk' I assume that this was the protein particles that have given me the haze issue. That beer turned out star bright, the real test will be when I brew an all pale malt brew for the summer - no hiding places then afaik cooling like this doesn't do anything other than improve clarity, but I stand to be corrected.

[roger the dog]

Cheers Wez, that's something I'll have to try in the future - I've got the RS stat., what I haven't got is a fridge to mod. & space in the garage to put it

[Buzz]

Looks good Wez, I'll be brewing on Wednesday too - are you doing a daytime or evening session?

[Wez]

Hi Buzz, evening for me, what are you brewing?

[Buzz]

I'm going for something like Archers Village - a low gravity session ale. Link here http://jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9956

Mine will be a daytime brew. The other half gets upset if I make too much of a mess in the kitchen so it's best done whilst she's at work

[Buzz]

very droll

[oblivious]

very droll

and a hangover )

I thought you where limiting you beer intake

[Buzz]

Jeez that looks nasty, I can sympathise.

[Wez]

Ouch!

[Wez]

Anyway....back to the recipe, sorry Wez

looks like it'll be a Thursday brew now, don't you just hate it when work gets in the way of brewing I got a Birkby Bitter kit today to help build stocks back up might kick that off late tomorrow night when getting ready for Thursdays brew.