100% Whirlpool Hopped Blonde Ale

1040 Shootout Blonde Ale

... coming soon.

SMaSH Series

Chinook/OiO SMaSH

After the 120L brew weekend, I've noted some discrepancies in my efficiency numbers, both to the kettle as well as the fermenter. To better dial in my system, a series of Single Malt and Single hop beers would be suitable.  The series will feature English hops and Maris Otter.  I have a fresh, unopened sack of MO and the following English hops at my disposal:

• Bramling Cross
• Challenger
• East Kent Goldings
• Stryian Goldings
• Target
• Northern Brewer

The idea will be to use the same amount of malt (4kg) to produce the same volume for consecutive brews.  Ensuring I measure out my water volumes accurately as well as follow the same mashing/sparging/boiling routine, the resulting gravity should be within a point from beer to beer.  I am mainly interested in the sum of all part, aka the "Brewhouse Efficiency"

$3 Kettle Filter

I picked up a couple of grease splatter screens from my local dollar store, removed the frames and double folded the edges to form a pancake type shape with a small opening to pass the dip tube through.

I performed an over night soak and series of tests to confirm the material was in fact stainless steel, I am confident it is but you can never be to safe.

Here are some shots of the filter in action

As you might be able to see in the photos above, the orientation of my dip tube is down and  to the side.  I found that part way through transfer from boil kettle to fermenter, the filter became caked in hops and break material which greatly diminished flow.  I use my pump when transferring.  The pump never did lose prime but this process ended up taking near 1hr.  Way too long.  I found out near the end of the transfer that if I used my brew spoon and scraped off a portion of the filter, regular flow resumed, doh!

Moving forward, I have shortened the dip tube slightly, it can now sit upright which forces separation of the two screens.  I am hoping this makes better use of the filters surface area and delays the amount of time it takes for the flow to slow.

Update April 3rd

Last evening I observed what appears to be rust (iron oxide) beginning to form in areas at the edge and center of the kettle filter.  This means that either the material is not stainless steel, perhaps carbon steel, or the acidic environment of the wort was enough to remove the passive layer of chromium.  I disassembled the filter and gave it a good scrub with a nylon brush, baking soda and vinegar.  I will report back if the rust has returned.

Update April 5th 

Pretty much status quo.  Nothing had progressed.

"Short Brew" Experiment

Wheels are turning on a little experiment I'd like to try, perhaps even this week.

Test

1. 3 Gallon stove-top BIAB 
2. <30 minute mash.  (iodine test @ 20 min through conversion).
3. Full volume Boil for 30 minutes
4. Simple 1.045 OG, Best Bitter recipe

Risks

• Incomplete starch conversion
• Insufficient hot break, protein coagulation, leading to various off flavours and cosmetic defects.  
• Dimethylsulfide (DMS)

Thinking I'll follow this up with a quick fermentation schedule, primary straight to keg.  Bump carb and serve in under 10 days.