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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

LowTech Pale Ale v5 - "Filter Test"

Sunday past, I brewed up a batch of APA (v4) using a new hop screen attached to the boil kettle's dip tube.  Between the hops and cold break, the filter clogged real fast, pump lost prime, I lost wort and finally resorted to racking each fermenter via auto-siphon.  I deemed the project and perhaps the brewday to be a failure.  However, I am not willing to give up so easily.

After discussions with my local brew club,  I mocked up a new filter design.  A Stainless Steel mesh "pocket" which will be placed in the center of the immersion chiller during the last 15 minutes of the boil (to sanitize).  The pocket is roughly 12" high, perhaps 8" across.  The recirculated/whirlpool wort would be pumped into the pocket which hopefully contains a large amount of trub while allowing the dip tube to continue feeding the pump unobstructed.   Results?  SUCCESS!
















LowTech Pale Ale v5

OG 1.048/ IBU ~40/ SRM ~7/ 23L

82% OiO 2-Row 
11% Weyermann Light Munich
07% Muntons Dark Crystal 240 (91L)

4.45 AAU (10g) Chinook @ 60 minutes
2.91 AAU (15g) Willamette @ 20 minutes
17.9 AAU (50g) Northern Brewer @ 10 minutes
3.54 AAU (10g) Northern Brewer @ 1minutes
4.45 AAU (10g) Chinook @ 1 minutes

Primary dry hop TBD

Fermentis Safale S-04

Brewed  May 27th

Mashed in at 152F for 45 minutes before sparging to collect ~29L pre-boil volume.  Boiled for 70 minutes adding hops as scheduled above.  1/2 tab Whirlfoc added at 5 min remaining in boil.  Chilled to ~22c.  Transferred ~23L to a pail.  Pitched one packet of S-04 (dry).  1 tsp Gypsum, 1.5 tsp Calcium Chloride, 1 tsp Epsom Salts added to mash for a pH of 5.49.  Final water numbers: 
Ca 78, Mg 15, Na 18, Cl 79, SO4 145 

Brewday observations:
- Hop pocket worked perfectly
- Pump flow was awesome, never transferred to fermenter so fast!
- Directed the flow through a mesh strainer as well, didn't see any accumulation of break or hops.  Hop pocket did a great job (see photo's above)
- Again efficiency is high than expected, SG = 1.0489 (12.12°P).  4.4kg of malt at noted gravity with ~23L in the fermenter = 87% Brewhouse efficiency.
- Love brewing these smaller batch sizes!  No threat of boilovers + 3.5hr brewday from start to finish (including clean up).

Update May 28th 

Airlock movement in the morning.  Temperature has raised slightly to 67F.  Very active by the evening.

Update May 30th

Airlock movement complete.  Gravity tested 1.0129 (3.29°P) = 73% attenuation.  1oz of Chinook, 1/2 oz of Nothern Brewer and 1/2oz of Amarillo added to the primary.

Update June 8th

Racked beer to keg, pressure set to 12psi

Saturday, May 18, 2013

LowTech Pale Ale v4

Been a while since I brewed up some LowTech APA.  I am fresh out of Cascade so I have decided to sub in something interesting...  Nelson Sauvin.  I'll be pairing it along side Willamette (for which I have a major surplus) and finishing up with Amarillo which I deeply love.  I am awaiting receipt of more wheat malt and have a touch of Light Munich which I'd like to use up, so I'll be straying slightly from my house recipe.  I present...

LowTech Pale Ale v4
LowTech Pale Ale v3

OG 1.046/ IBU ~40/ SRM ~7/ 41L

80% OiO 2-Row
13% Weyermann Light Munich
07% Muntons Dark Crystal 240

6.35 AAU (1/2oz) Chinook @ 60 minutes
5.60 AAU (1.0oz) Willamette @ 20 minutes
24.6 AAU (2.0oz) Nelson Sauvin @ 10 minutes
8.00 AAU (1.0oz) Amarillo @ 10 minutes
2.80 AAU (1/2oz) Willamette @ 1minutes
6.15 AAU (1/2oz) Nelson Sauvin @ 1 minutes

Dry hop with 1/2oz of each Chinook & Amarillo for 7 days

WLP007

Brewed  May 26th

Mashed in at 152F, mashed for 70 minutes before collecting 44L pre-boil volume.  Topped up with 2L of straight water for a final pre-boil volume of 46L.  Boiled for 70 minutes adding hops as scheduled above.  Whirlfoc added at 5 min remaining in boil.  Chilled to ~19c.  Was attempting to use a new hop screen which failed miserably.  Part way through the transfer to fermenters, I lost prime.  After losing a few liters of wort attempting to reprime my pump, I opted to use my auto-siphon for the remaining wort.  Two fermenters filled with about 19L in each.  Each fermenter received half the cake reserved from LowTech Blonde v3 (making this yeast pitch 2nd generation or 2nd time used).  Yeast was about 2 weeks removed from the Blonde, no starter used.  Removed from fridge, partially decanted and pitched cold to new home.  2 tsp Gypsum, 2 tsp Calcium Chloride, 1 tsp Epsom Salts added to mash for a pH of 5.49.  Final water numbers: 
Ca 77, Mg 10, Na 18, Cl 66, SO4 141 

Brewday observations:
- Don't use a hop screen with my setup, doesn't work.
- The crystal malt is much darker than I expected. This wort appears more amber in colour.
- During the mess up with the pump and prime, I had way too much direct contact with the wort, infection a possibility.
- Used carboys as opposed to pails for the first time in a while, not sure why.
- Not sure if my efficiency is high than expected or perhaps due to my loses, SG = 1.0481 (11.92°P) which is about ~86% mash efficiency.

Update May 27th

Woke this morning to find the airlock on both fermenters in the "up position".  A light layer of Krausen present on both carboys.  Wort temperature  ~18.5c (65F)

Update May 28th

Both carboys showing high Krausen.  Steady movement on each airlock.  Wort temperature has hit 21c.

Update June 2nd

One carboy racked to secondary with 1oz of Nelson Sauvin.  Decided to use up the little that was left.  I sampled and it's very hoppy!  I might not even dry hop the second carboy. 

Update June 3rd 

Racked the fermenter which didn't have the dry hops to keg.

Update June 5th

Co2 pressure bumped to 40psi.  Samples are bitter and hoppy.  Looking forward to trying this carbonated.

Update June 8th

Second fermenter racked beer to keg, pressure set to 12psi

Monday, May 13, 2013

Tasting - LowTech IIPA v1

LowTech IIPA v1
Really happy with how this first attempt turned out.  I submitted a few samples to my local BJCP study group, here's some of the feedback.

"A very good example of a IIPA.  Very refreshing after a night of drinking Porters.  Love that hop aroma.  Could use a touch less sweetness next time. (41/50)"
"This beer is all about the hops which are distinct in their citrus flavour/aroma.  Definately quaffable! (37/50)"
"Very nice beer.  Maltiness comes through a little more definitely compliments the hops.  Well done! (41/50)"
"Great aroma! (39/50)"
"Very nice. (41/50)"

Appearance

Several weeks conditioning has left the beer crystal clear.  Pours golden with faint orange highlights.  The local BJCP study group determined it to be a touch light for the style.  I'd switch to a darker crystal next time and perhaps less of it.  Excellent head retention when poured direct from the tap.

 

Aroma

Full of Cascade goodness.  The whole leaf hops added to the keg really ramp up the grassiness, but not at all unpleasant.  There is an underlying dankness left over from the Columbus, but otherwise this beer is all about the Cascades.  Floral perfume notes with a touch of Grapefruit.  It's quite powerful as might be expected from 6oz's of dry hops in a 5 gallon batch of beer.

 

Taste

Medium body, nice carbonation.  There's an interesting balance of hops and malt, some residual sweetness, was hoping this would finish a touch drier.  Reduce CaraFoam, Crystal and increase sugar on next attempt.  No alcohol bite.  Mild yeast esters but they are very subdued.  Bitterness on the back end.  Nice balance of malt and citrus flavours, slight lemon undertones.

 

Drinkability

Doesn't drink like a 9% beer!  Very balanced considering the 100+ IBU's.  Nice to look at, nice to smell, nice to drink.  8/10

Friday, May 3, 2013

Hops 2013

2013 Hop growing season updates


April 23rd

After a poor showing in 2012, I've decided to remove the 1st year hops from my folks backyard and transplant to my own yard where they will see a notable improvement in sun exposure.  While the soil conditions across town are stellar, competing vegetation was choking out much of the sunlight.  There was also a drought last summer which didn't help.  Having the hops in my own backyard will allow me to pay closer attention to their development.

I removed the Mt. Hood, Centennial and Nugget crowns.  After digging out all three, I was amazed at the root structure!  Considerable growth, way more than I anticipated.  I did my best to minimize the root damage although I did end up severing some of the roots because they where much too long.  All three crowns were placed in a Ziploc bags with a piece of moist paper towel.  The hops where then placed in the fridge to await planting.

April 28th

Having space for only two hops, I gave away my Mt. Hood.  The Centennial and Nugget were each given a new home in my yard.  I dug two holes, each 20" in diameter and perhaps 12" deep.  I sprinkled a tsp of Bone meal into each hole and then combined  mushroom compost with the native soil before planting each crown approximately 4-5" below the surface.  Each crown had already begun to send up shoots while still at my parents yard.  When planting I tried to bury the crowns just deep enough so the shoots wouldn't have far to break the surface again.

I have heavy clay conditions in my neck of the woods although drainage against my house is better than other areas of the yard due to the back fill our home builder used after setting the concrete foundation.  This is where the hops where planted.  I used mushroom compost because I read it's a good amendment for clay soils.  In this location they will see some early morning shade followed by a complete day of southerly exposure.

April 30th

Each morning I've been watering the hops.  Each hop receiving ~ 750ml of water.  The Centennial shoots have broken ground.

May 2nd

Nugget shoots have broken ground.  Centennial shoots are 3" in length.  Will need to figure out my twine/string solution this coming weekend, these guys are ready to climb!  Pictures to follow.

May 4th


Centennial - May 4
Nugget - May 4










May 10th

Installed strings

May 11th

First application of Miracle Gro.  1.5 Tbsp dissolved in 6L, 3L added to each plant.


Centennial May 11th






Nugget May 11th
Strings up!



















 

Update May 19th

2nd application of Miracle Grow (24-8-16).  I've reduced the watering over the past week due to some rain plus growing concerns that I may be over-watering.  I only watered three times including the application of fertilizer today.

Yesterday I began to notice some yellowing on the tips and edges of a few leaves.  This is on both the Nugget as well as the Centennial.  I hope it doesn't get worse.


 
Centennial, yellow edge




Nugget, brown and yellow edge










Nugget, brown tip










Update June 2nd

Brown edges in previous photos was identified as possible frost damage which makes sense as we did see some late season frost in my growing area.  Here are some new pics from today...

Exciting stuff!  First sight of side shoots!














About two feet until we reach the top!
















Update June 12th


Now what?




















Found a bunch of these insects















Garden overflowing!















Update June 17th


Over grown line



































Head on Nugget bine caught in gutter and broke :(















Update June 26th











































Update July 30th


Nugget Cones!
















Update August 8th



Centennial Cones blooming




Nugget




Nugget




Harvest test




Nugget almost ready