Millbrook Blonde - December 25, 2015
Millbrook Blonde
My 833 yeast didn't do anything when I made a starter. One vial was empty. I do not know what the hell happened. I tossed them and bought some dry yeast.
22 lbs. Bohemian Pilsner
2 lbs. Munich 6
28.35 g German Magnum - 12.4% AA - 60 min.
28.35 Tettnanger - 3.2% AA - 0 min.
US-05 - 1 1/2 sachet in each carboy
1 tsp yeast nutrient
75/25 RO/City
I am using new elements for this brew. The MT element would not come out, so I will go with the old one until all fermenters are full and then try again. I lowered the BU for this ale and my future lagers as I don't like the " soapy " hops but I bought 11 lbs. so I have to brew with it. I decided when I was actually brewing this to use my Magnum hops for a 60 min. addition. I then decided on brew day to add a small amount at flamout. Not a lot of flavour, but the wort was of course sweet. Nice colour. I did a whirlpool at the end of the cooling and it cleared nicely. I had a ton of trub at the bottom of the kettle along with a small amount of hops. I added HLT water @ 174 F to the mash instead of 168 F. Was this the reason for all the trub? I don't think so as there was a lot of dust when I crushed the grains. I mean a lot, not sure why. I think maybe the grain has picked up a bit of humidity over the summer? Hmmm..... The taste will tell me in 2 weeks. Another brew tomorrow.
O.G. - 1.052
F.G. - 1.010 - * usually around 12 - 14 *
% - 5.5
SRM - 3.7
BU - 20
Today is day 6 and it has slowed down but still going fine. It was too cold in the beer room, so I turned on the wall heater. The room was 59 F with the door open and it has to be around 65 F at this stage at least. Funny though, the keezer brew still is very warm when you put your hand down were the carboys are. It is still going strong. Sampled on Jan. 2nd. A nice Pils malt taste, but low on bittering. I may have to buy a lb. of Magnum to get the BU I want.
Kegged on Jan. 5
Kegged early as I am busy so this has to be done now. Just can't buy beer at this time. The other beer has been put aside and I will keg it later. This beer is done, but as usual, very slow to clear. Gelatin is definitely got its work cut out for it. My hydrometer sample was high in aroma hops. I assume it was because of the racking cane picking up aroma hops that have settled on the bottom of the carboy. However, it had a nice noble hop taste. No soapy hop taste so far. I am not sure if it was the 1 1/2 sachet of US-05 in each carboy, or the yeast nutrient that got me a couple of points more of attenuation. I will go with this in each brew for now on, especially the yeast nutrient. I do use 75% RO water, so that helps I guess. No facts on that, just an observation.
Taste On Jan. 11
Finally cleared up with gelatin. It has a good hop aroma with the flameout hops. However, I can taste the 2013 Tettnanger soapy hops. Drinkable, but not what I would want on a regular basis. I bought some Saaz and Spalt Spalter aroma hops and will use them for 4 batches and then I will see if it is the tettnanger hops or something else. I would hate to toss all of these hops out, but I don't want a full year of beer with these hops. Take it as a bad investment and move on. I did move on as these hops are in the dump some where.
Comments