We're moving our reviews of commercial beers to Untappd - get in touch if you want to read them there.
This blog will now be focused on home brewing and the eternal quest for the perfect pub...
Thursday, 29 May 2014
Thursday, 8 May 2014
9 Squirrels Brewing - ABC1
I was handed this at a recent Macclesfield Homebrew Club meeting by Chris from 9 Squirrels Brewing. Thanks Chris - much appreciated!
ABC1 is a 6.4% IPA, made with Columbus, Simcoe, 366 and Cascade. Chris suggested leaving it a bit longer but I'm not very good at not drinking beer and anyway the label said it was bottled on 14th April, which means it had had over 3 weeks to condition. More than enough, I figured, so I popped it in the fridge.
As ever, my rubbish photo makes the beer look darker than it actually was. I'd say it was a mid-amber colour; perfectly acceptable but if I was being very picky, I'd have liked it to be slightly paler. That's just my preference, though. The carbonation was spot on, with a tilted pour creating a nice finger of head.
I'm not very good at identifying specific hops, so can't comment on the aroma beyond saying it was hoppy, with obviously American notes. That's a good thing, by the way.
There was plenty of citrus and pine flavour and this was basically a damn fine homebrew. At one point, I thought there might be some very minor fermentation-related ester flavours hiding in among the hops but I seem to have a habit of actively looking for these as my own homebrewing has tuned me into them.
There was plenty of body and it wasn't too dry, with a decent degree of malt sweetness on hand to balance out the hop bitterness.
All in all, this was a top brew. Nice work.
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
Homebrew 13 - Low ABV Pale
Brewday - 13/04/14
Boy Racer - 2.8% ABV Pale Ale
With a window of brewing opportunity presenting itself at fairly short notice, I had a look through my ingredients box and decided to do something I'd been meaning to do for a while and try my hand at a low alcohol beer.
After a bit of calculation, the measly collection of grain and hops I had left appeared to lend itself quite well to this beer. All I needed was some yeast so I decided to use liquid yeast for the first time, seeing as how it was a bit of an experimental brew anyway. I got some White Labs WLP001.
The grain bill was mostly Maris and lager malt. I decided to use 5% torrified wheat for head retention and a bit of Munich and Crystal for flavour. The colour would have been so light with this, that I had to add 20g of chocolate malt to get the colour to hit 7 SRM, which is the kind of area I was looking for.
| MASH | |||
| Grain Bill | Type | Amt (g) | Amt (%) |
| Maris Otter | 2095 | 58.2 | |
| Lager Malt | 1024 | 28.4 | |
| Crystal | 101 | 2.8 | |
| Torry Wheat | 180 | 5.0 | |
| Munich Malt | 180 | 5.0 | |
| Chocolate Malt | 20 | 0.6 | |
| Total | 3600 |
These low ABV beers require mashing at a high temperature for a short amount of time, to limit the conversion of starch to fermentable sugars, thus retaining body in the beer. I decided to mash at 71C for 60 minutes although in hindsight, 45 minutes would probably have done it.
I dumped a kettle of boiling water into the mash tun at the end, to try to stop the enzymes and sparged with 80C water until 32L had been collected. The OG was 1.032, which considering I was trying to make a 3.4% beer, was a little less than I had been expecting.
I used Northern Brewer, Target and Amarillo hops for no other reason than they were what I already had. I wanted to make it quite bitter and hoppy so went for 50 IBU, with decent late additions and 100g in dry hop.
After 2 weeks, the FG never made it past 1.011, which gives a strength of about 2.8% ABV, much less than I had been expecting. It's a good job I hadn't been trying to make a 2.8% beer really, as it'd have ended up as utter dishwater. This beer was a bit of a journey into the unknown but given that a short, hot mash would create less fermentable sugar, I suppose it shouldn't come as too big a surprise.
I eventually filled 37 bottles, priming with 99g of dextrose, which should give carbonation of around 2.1 volumes. Looking forward to the verdict in a few weeks.
The verdict:
Horrible! The beer looked okay, was nicely carbonated and didn't have any off-tastes but was simply not a very nice recipe. The Northern Brewer was vile and the small amount of chocolate malt seemed to have the effect of making it taste, well, like watery, weak chocolate.
Magic Rock - Un-Human Cannonball
Magic Rock have long been the subject of my main brewery man-crush. They have the best name, the best branding and make some of the best beer so when this year's release of Un-Human Cannonball came out, I had to get a bottle.
MR have a pretty logical way of classifying their pale beers by strength. 5% is Pale Ale, 7% is an IPA, 9% is a Double IPA and 11% is a Triple IPA. Quite neat, really. An 11% ale isn't exactly going to be a mass-appeal drink, so to keep it special, the brewery's triple IPA, Un-Human Cannonball, only gets made once a year using the freshest hops.
It came in a 660ml bottle, costing £12.85, which is a ludicrous amount to spend on a bottle of beer in the cold light of day. Such was the excitement surrounding this year's release though, I had to have a bottle and the price was not a consideration as I simply trust Magic Rock to deliver something worth the money. Such a special beer deserved a special occasion so I waited until Giggsy's first game as manager to crack open this beauty.
The sense of occasion started well before the moment the cap came off. The bottle itself was beautiful, with the Richard Norgate artwork screen printed directly on the glass and the cap being symbolically held in place by a sticker in the shape of a pointing finger wrapped over the top. A nice touch.
My one and only criticism is that the yeast used seems to be so flocculant that it forms really big clumps in the bottle, which just don't settle and stick to the bottom. I stood my bottle in the fridge for 24 hours but it made no difference, the yeast just stubbornly hovered a centimetre above the bottom of the bottle and some inevitably made its way out into the glass.
The beer poured a lovely light amber colour and the carbonation was spot-on, with a fairly vigorous pour releasing all the aromas and resulting in a moderate, velvety head. The first sniff was fantastic, unleashing an all-out assault of hop aroma. I had to have about five big sniffs, it was so good, leading to some funny looks from across the room.
The taste was incredible - I struggle to describe tastes, suffice to say that it was a fantastic onslaught of hops. The most remarkable thing though, was how easy it was to forget that this was an 11% beer, it was so easy drinking. It was clearly a very strong beer, with the warm alcohol sensation never far away, but if asked, I've had said it was 8 or 9%.
I polished the bottle off no problem at all but have to admit that the football was getting a little out of focus by the end of it. Un-Human isn't exactly the sort of beer you'd drink regularly but once a year, it really is a special treat.
Friday, 18 April 2014
Kung Fu Ramone
I was handed this bad boy to sample as an example of the Macclesfield Home Brew club's quality output.
Made with Amarillo and Citra, it's pretty darn good. "Flawless", said Nelly, and while he's being slightly optimistic there, it's certainly one of the finest homebrews I've ever tried - hoppy (but could be more), an excellent nose, and the quintessential citrus notes.
Excellent work.
The Kernel - Pale ale US366
A delicious, well-made pale ale, this has just enough malt background to be interesting yet is clean enough to showcase the hops. It's quite low in carbonation, meaning you can pour vigorously to release the flavour. The 366 hop is new to me and I was really impressed. Citrus and lychee were in evidence, with a bit of spicy bite too. I may try to get hold of some for a homebrew.
Tuesday, 8 April 2014
Huddersfield pub crawl
Last Saturday saw a rare treat for me - an actual good old-fashioned pub crawl. Dave (@belmontrivera) and Nige from work are fellow beer geeks and suggested a trip to Huddersfield, where there are meant to be a few good real ale (is that still an acceptable thing to say?) pubs.
There's something quite exciting about catching a train to go boozing in another town, with all day in front of you and no timescale to adhere to. It's the kind of thing I used to do all the time but in the days of jobs and families it now tends to happen very rarely.
We had the pleasure of sharing the journey with the "White Army". I knew it was them, because like Craig David, they liked to sing about themselves quite a lot. All the way to Huddersfield, in fact. I'd never been to Huddersfield before and have to say I was quite impressed with the place. The train station is the focal point of the town, spilling its passengers out into a lovely square.
The White Army took themselves to the Wetherspoons and we went to the HDM bar, as it was only a few hundred yards from the station. It was small and had a weird bar, which was about five foot six high for most of its length, leaving you with your nose at countertop level. There were a few keg beers and a couple of handpulls, with most of the offerings from the HDM brewery. We had a Monkey Loves Hops, which was a fine pale ale, really clean and tidy if a little restrained. It was a lovely session beer but considering the name, my impression was that it could do with more hops.
We moved on to a HDM Red Saison, which was very good indeed. Zesty and refreshing, with a hint of sour zing to it. I think we may have had something else there but to be honest, I can't remember. I do remember though, that we exhausted the beer list pretty quickly and felt the need to move on.
Next stop was The Grove. Boy, what a pub this place is. It's slightly out of town and the building itself is pretty nondescript; a typical corner boozer. The beer list though, was out of this world and by a country mile the best I've ever seen. The website says there are 18 handpulls and 14 keg lines and I can vouch for this. The range of beer was fantastic too, with everything from pale ales to barley wines on offer.
Being the massive Magic Rock fanboy that I am, I started with a Villainous IPA. Needless to say, it was sensational, with fresh fruity zing almost crackling out of the glass in the way that Magic Rock do so well. It did, however, do that thing where it shares characteristics with other beers from the same brewery, meaning this was unmistakably a Magic Rock beer. I'd previously put the distinctive MR taste down to the use of Golden Promise malt but this is apparently made from Vienna malt, so there goes that theory.
Next up was a cask High Wire, which was really bloody marvellous but not quite as good as it is from keg.
Then it was time for a Jaipur. This was the beer that started my newfound love of ale but in all my travels, I had never once seen any Thornbridge beer on draught in a pub until now. When you live in a small village with only a Robinsons and a Mitchell and Butler pub, then the opportunity to have any decent beer is pretty limited. Add to that the fact that the craft beer bars of Manchester and Macclesfield never seem to stock Thornbridge beer when I've been, and I'd started to think that Jaipur in a pub was just an urban myth but obviously not, and here was the proof:
In bottles, it's extremely impressive, with a hop aroma that stays fresh even after a month or two and is very hard to beat. On cask however, it was more restrained. It was slightly cloudy, which I don't mind at all, but that was in contrast to the bottled version, which is always totally clear. Like the High Wire, it was still a marvellous beer on cask, but (CAMRA members look away now) just not as good as from keg or bottles.
The Kernel Motueka IPAwas next. This was from keg and was bloody brilliant, with the light, lemony hop aromas fizzing out of the glass.
I'm starting to see a pattern emerging now. Keg is simply a better way of serving beer than cask, certainly for hoppy pale ales, which is what I would like to drink most of the time. There.
Having said that, it was time for a change of direction and Dave and I moved onto some more challenging styles. I could not leave without having tried a Sierra Nevada Bigfoot barley wine. I'd seen a video of this fermenting earlier in the year and was keen to try some.
I would usually use "malty" as a pejorative term but in this case it would be an accurate description of a fantastic beer. It was the kind of beer I could imaging drinking on a cold Winter's night, with its cozy warming alcohol kick. For something that was a complete change of style, I really liked it.
There was time for one last beer before we had to reluctantly leave the Grove and I opted for a Thornbridge Imperial Oatmeal Stout, which at 11% was a bit of a beast.
It was everything you would want an imperial stout to be, with a luxurious silky texture and a cacophony of roasted malty flavours. It says a lot about the quality of beer on offer when High Wire, my favourite beer, was probably the least memorable one of the visit. The Grove was truly special and I hope it's not too long before I can go back.
We staggered back across town to The Sportsman. It was really busy and we had to stand up outside. I'll be quite honest and admit that I can't remember what we drank in there but it was perfectly nice. Things were stating to get a bit spinny by then.
The train ride back to Piccadilly was again spent in the delightful company of the White Army. Once back in Manchester, we headed for one last beer at Port Street, where I remember having a Quantum Black IPA. Sadly, the next thing I remember is a train guard waking me up at Crewe Station, before I embarked upon the now customary taxi ride back to Holmes Chapel.
All in all, it was a really nice day. Huddersfield seemed like a decent town and was certainly a splendid venue for a good old drink, with seemingly a pub on every corner. In a rather selfish way, I'm glad that The Grove is slightly out of town though, because that will stop it from being rammed full of punters. Being able to sit down and work through a beer board as extensive as that was a real treat.
There's something quite exciting about catching a train to go boozing in another town, with all day in front of you and no timescale to adhere to. It's the kind of thing I used to do all the time but in the days of jobs and families it now tends to happen very rarely.
We had the pleasure of sharing the journey with the "White Army". I knew it was them, because like Craig David, they liked to sing about themselves quite a lot. All the way to Huddersfield, in fact. I'd never been to Huddersfield before and have to say I was quite impressed with the place. The train station is the focal point of the town, spilling its passengers out into a lovely square.
The White Army took themselves to the Wetherspoons and we went to the HDM bar, as it was only a few hundred yards from the station. It was small and had a weird bar, which was about five foot six high for most of its length, leaving you with your nose at countertop level. There were a few keg beers and a couple of handpulls, with most of the offerings from the HDM brewery. We had a Monkey Loves Hops, which was a fine pale ale, really clean and tidy if a little restrained. It was a lovely session beer but considering the name, my impression was that it could do with more hops.
We moved on to a HDM Red Saison, which was very good indeed. Zesty and refreshing, with a hint of sour zing to it. I think we may have had something else there but to be honest, I can't remember. I do remember though, that we exhausted the beer list pretty quickly and felt the need to move on.
Next stop was The Grove. Boy, what a pub this place is. It's slightly out of town and the building itself is pretty nondescript; a typical corner boozer. The beer list though, was out of this world and by a country mile the best I've ever seen. The website says there are 18 handpulls and 14 keg lines and I can vouch for this. The range of beer was fantastic too, with everything from pale ales to barley wines on offer.
Being the massive Magic Rock fanboy that I am, I started with a Villainous IPA. Needless to say, it was sensational, with fresh fruity zing almost crackling out of the glass in the way that Magic Rock do so well. It did, however, do that thing where it shares characteristics with other beers from the same brewery, meaning this was unmistakably a Magic Rock beer. I'd previously put the distinctive MR taste down to the use of Golden Promise malt but this is apparently made from Vienna malt, so there goes that theory.
Next up was a cask High Wire, which was really bloody marvellous but not quite as good as it is from keg.
Then it was time for a Jaipur. This was the beer that started my newfound love of ale but in all my travels, I had never once seen any Thornbridge beer on draught in a pub until now. When you live in a small village with only a Robinsons and a Mitchell and Butler pub, then the opportunity to have any decent beer is pretty limited. Add to that the fact that the craft beer bars of Manchester and Macclesfield never seem to stock Thornbridge beer when I've been, and I'd started to think that Jaipur in a pub was just an urban myth but obviously not, and here was the proof:
In bottles, it's extremely impressive, with a hop aroma that stays fresh even after a month or two and is very hard to beat. On cask however, it was more restrained. It was slightly cloudy, which I don't mind at all, but that was in contrast to the bottled version, which is always totally clear. Like the High Wire, it was still a marvellous beer on cask, but (CAMRA members look away now) just not as good as from keg or bottles.
The Kernel Motueka IPAwas next. This was from keg and was bloody brilliant, with the light, lemony hop aromas fizzing out of the glass.
I'm starting to see a pattern emerging now. Keg is simply a better way of serving beer than cask, certainly for hoppy pale ales, which is what I would like to drink most of the time. There.
Having said that, it was time for a change of direction and Dave and I moved onto some more challenging styles. I could not leave without having tried a Sierra Nevada Bigfoot barley wine. I'd seen a video of this fermenting earlier in the year and was keen to try some.
I would usually use "malty" as a pejorative term but in this case it would be an accurate description of a fantastic beer. It was the kind of beer I could imaging drinking on a cold Winter's night, with its cozy warming alcohol kick. For something that was a complete change of style, I really liked it.
There was time for one last beer before we had to reluctantly leave the Grove and I opted for a Thornbridge Imperial Oatmeal Stout, which at 11% was a bit of a beast.
It was everything you would want an imperial stout to be, with a luxurious silky texture and a cacophony of roasted malty flavours. It says a lot about the quality of beer on offer when High Wire, my favourite beer, was probably the least memorable one of the visit. The Grove was truly special and I hope it's not too long before I can go back.
We staggered back across town to The Sportsman. It was really busy and we had to stand up outside. I'll be quite honest and admit that I can't remember what we drank in there but it was perfectly nice. Things were stating to get a bit spinny by then.
The train ride back to Piccadilly was again spent in the delightful company of the White Army. Once back in Manchester, we headed for one last beer at Port Street, where I remember having a Quantum Black IPA. Sadly, the next thing I remember is a train guard waking me up at Crewe Station, before I embarked upon the now customary taxi ride back to Holmes Chapel.
All in all, it was a really nice day. Huddersfield seemed like a decent town and was certainly a splendid venue for a good old drink, with seemingly a pub on every corner. In a rather selfish way, I'm glad that The Grove is slightly out of town though, because that will stop it from being rammed full of punters. Being able to sit down and work through a beer board as extensive as that was a real treat.
Friday, 14 March 2014
LIVE BLOG - The Old Red Cow
I'll be joined on this journey by my old pal Rog. He's not here yet, but he will be soon.
So I've started with a Harvistoun Bitter and Twisted:
It's a very pale blonde beer, and it's bloody good so far - dry, well carbonated, flavoursome - the usual zingy fruity hoppy stuff one's come to expect.
Pub itself is pretty great - rather compact with a fine selection of keg and cask ales alongside lotsa bottles. Hang on, I'll take a pic.
It's a bit trendy. Right, signing off for now...be back later for the next pint.
1839 Actually, the Harviestoun ain't all that. I've had better.
Roger is late. He's always late. He's got a broken leg, so I assume he's blaming that.
1843 A load of hot, posh girls have arrived and are flirting with me to get the stool I've saved for Roger. My "he's got a broken leg" excuse is holding out well.
One of them is American. Man, she's loud.
1847 Roger has arrived! Have sent him hobbling to the bar. Broken leg or not, he's still LATE.
1853 Roger has finally got the round in:
On the left is a half (sorry) The Wild Beer Co - English Roots, and on the right is Camden Pale Ale. We'll be back with reviews.
1902 OK, so Roger's on the Camden Pale Ale:
His review: "Nice. A bit too hoppy and bittery for me. I'm not very good at beer reviews - tasty and nice?"
I've had a quick swig. He's right; it's REALLY hoppy. I like it.
I'm on the English Roots. Really reminds me of something - very stout-y, with liquorice and caramel tones. I prefer the Camden.
1925
We've gone for halves.
From left to right: Kernel Columbus 5.2%; Bad Seed Saison 6% (£3.50 a half!!); Four Pure Oatmeal Stout 5.1%; Windsor and Eton Repulika (4.8%)
Roger goes first with the Republika. Remember Saffron from Republika? Anyway, he says it's "very crisp - a floral overtone, like toilet cake. But once you're over that, it's alright."
He's right - it's really really flowery. And all I can taste is Harpic. It's weird - kinda chemical - but I quite like it. "Drain cleaner" says Rog. putting me off. It's unusual, but I like it. Back in a min.
1942 Time to move on to the FourPure Oatmeal, after a brief reminisce about Things We Can't Talk About in Public. "There is no light passing through this," says Roger. "It's like Dark Matter." He takes a sip. He looks odd. "It's really rather good for a stout. A bit fizzier than Guinness; creamy".
He's right as well. That's absolutely excellent - so smooth and with a yummy fizz. Top notch.
2002 Rog has been regaling me with tales of his female Nordic colleagues. Am well jell.
Next beer is the Saison "Sweet...6%...I'm getting bubbalicious...don't know if that's good or a bad thing"
This is beer of the day, and at £3.50 a HALF I should think so too. "A serious beer" says Rog.
I have a sniff. Heady stuff. It's like a weissbeer - like a really refined Hoegaarden, certainly in scent, but subtler in flavour.
The food has arrived!
I'm having bone marrow.God knows why.
2017 The bone marrow was AMAZING.
As is the Saison. Beer of the night so far. Really amazing.
2021 Kernal Columbus next up. Jesus. Really, really good. "Cloudy," says Rog. "But a really nice taste" He's not wrong. Really citrus "very tart" says Rog. Rog is Swiss. He knows tarts. "You could drink a pint of it, but no more" says Swiss Rog. "It's like a glass of Sauvignon Blanc - an aperitif before a nice dinner". I see his point.
2030 Main course has arrived
2052 God those sausages were nice. Now, back to the beer:
From L-R - Windsor & Eton Red Rye (5.8%); Maisel's Weisse (5.2%)l Kernel IPA Amarillo (7,3%); Old Red Cow House Pilsner (4.2%)
We start with the House Pilsner. "That reminds me of Czechoslovakian stag dos. Light, fresh; you could drink loads of it." He's back for more. "You could drink it all day...and then you'll end up in some dirty fanny bar. Or so I've heard"
Yep, he's right - it's fruity, refreshing, easy going down (not like the fanny bar etc), and really rather pleasant. Why aren't all lagers like this? "You could quaff that all day" says Rog, and he's not far wrong.
Next up is Kernel IPA Amarillo. At 7.3% it's quite punchy. As I might be once I've had some. Rog goes first. Long silence. "Yeah...it's er...lip-cursingly sharp. You can tell it's 7%. I'd rather drink that than Special Brew" Praise indeed.
It's really rather cloudy...like it has a urinary infection.
Zing! It's SO strong and hoppy...a tonne of citrus in your face. I can see why they only sell it by half. Sheesh.
"I love Hanwell" says Rog. Strange - the suburb of Ealing doesn't normally attract much attention.
2127 Just swapped hilarious stories about something I can't talk about (but Nelly's mum might know).
Next up is Maisel's Weiss Beer. "A common misconception is that this is white beer. It's not - it's wheat beer". I'm so proud. Roger's turning into a beer snob. "It's actually really nice. I should fucking hope so, it's £5.10 a pint"
Smells like Hoegaarden. It's really, really nice - like liquefied Milky Bars. God it's good.
2142 A long discussion about children, beer, wine and utter filth while we finish the Weiss.
Next up is Windsor & Eton Red Rye. The first cask beer of the night - properly red.
Roger is deep in thought after his first taste. Meanwhile my typiing appears to be more error-strewn thatn noramal.
Get the fuck on with it.
"It's very pleasant" he finalises. "It's the kind of beer you have when you've had six pints already, and just want to sit in a leather armchair. It's not challenging. Just...nice. Really uncomplicated"
He's right to a certain extent. It's ok...slightly...er, I can't name the taste, so I ask Roger. "It tastes of beer" he says. "Does it NEED to taste of anything?" No, no it doesn't.
I think it tastes like a sandwich Greggs used to make - a red Thai chicken - before some carcinogenic scandal stopped production. This may just be because it's red.
Point is, it's fine, but compared to it's predecessors, it's dull.
"We've had some very nice beers tonight. Then again at that price it should be"
2203 Right then. We've got to go home (it's a long way).
Roger's beer of the night: the Oatmeal Stout. Mine was the Kernal Columbus IPA.
Despite my typing, I'm a bit pissed.
So is Rog.
Night!
Thursday, 20 February 2014
Brewdog 5am Saint at the Beer House, Waterloo
I've always found Brewdog's "punk brewers" schtick a bit annoying to be honest - I don't doubt that the world of ale needs livening up, but their crass publicity campaigns and "gritty urban" approach just gets my goat. This has always led to an unnatural bias against their products - I don't like the company, I steadfastly refuse to like their product. Silly, I know.
Yesterday I was facing a train delay at Waterloo and took the opportunity to pop into the Beer House, the new underground pub on the revamped station concourse. It claimed a broad range of beers - in truth, I saw Abbott on the pumps and shivered with fear - but then noticed 5am Saint on the tap and thought I'd give it a go.
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Well. I'm an idiot. This is one of the best pints I've ever had. Hoppy, bitter, citrus with caramel undertones - tasty in ways my limited vocabulary cannot quite describe - it was unbelievably good. This is the best pint I've had this year and quite frankly I think I'll struggle to challenge that in the next 10 months. Tonight I walked past the bar on my way home from work - as I do every night - and had to focus really, really hard not to go and have another one. As I will every night from now on.
Yesterday I was facing a train delay at Waterloo and took the opportunity to pop into the Beer House, the new underground pub on the revamped station concourse. It claimed a broad range of beers - in truth, I saw Abbott on the pumps and shivered with fear - but then noticed 5am Saint on the tap and thought I'd give it a go.
Well. I'm an idiot. This is one of the best pints I've ever had. Hoppy, bitter, citrus with caramel undertones - tasty in ways my limited vocabulary cannot quite describe - it was unbelievably good. This is the best pint I've had this year and quite frankly I think I'll struggle to challenge that in the next 10 months. Tonight I walked past the bar on my way home from work - as I do every night - and had to focus really, really hard not to go and have another one. As I will every night from now on.
Saturday, 15 February 2014
Little homebrew improvements
This is just a quick post to record a few small but important upgrades I made recently to my brew equipment.
The first was a temperature controller I made a few weeks ago. It's absolutely critical to producing good beer, to maintain the temperature at the right level throughout fermentation. Yeast hates variations in temperature.
Up until now, I'd been putting the fermentation vessels into a small room and relying on keeping the air temperature as constant as possible. I'd done this by turning fan heaters on and off and opening and closing doors and windows. It was as hit-and-miss as it sounds.
I decided to sort it out and made an electronic temperature control unit, copying this design. The unit is based around this little device, which I bought off Ebay:
The screen displays the temperature of the fermenting beer, via a temperature probe mounted in the wall of the tank. You simply set the desired temperature and when it gets too cold it switches on a heating circuit and when it gets too hot it switches on a cooling circuit. It's currently cool enough to operate only the heating circuit and rely on the ambient room temperature to do the cooling.
This is my current fermentation set-up, with the FV on the left. It's wrapped in a foam jacket, to regulate the temperature losses and is sat on a 40W electric heating mat. The heat mat is plugged into the heating circuit on the controller, which is the grey box to the right. The clear vessel in the middle is being purged with CO2, ready for use as a conditioning tank later on.
I also came to the conclusion that my boiler wasn't quite getting hot enough to produce a proper rolling boil. It was always a bit weedy really, so I wrapped a bit of foam around it to reduce heat loss through the sides. This worked brilliantly and meant that I had a nice vigorous boil.
The first was a temperature controller I made a few weeks ago. It's absolutely critical to producing good beer, to maintain the temperature at the right level throughout fermentation. Yeast hates variations in temperature.
Up until now, I'd been putting the fermentation vessels into a small room and relying on keeping the air temperature as constant as possible. I'd done this by turning fan heaters on and off and opening and closing doors and windows. It was as hit-and-miss as it sounds.
I decided to sort it out and made an electronic temperature control unit, copying this design. The unit is based around this little device, which I bought off Ebay:
The screen displays the temperature of the fermenting beer, via a temperature probe mounted in the wall of the tank. You simply set the desired temperature and when it gets too cold it switches on a heating circuit and when it gets too hot it switches on a cooling circuit. It's currently cool enough to operate only the heating circuit and rely on the ambient room temperature to do the cooling.
This is my current fermentation set-up, with the FV on the left. It's wrapped in a foam jacket, to regulate the temperature losses and is sat on a 40W electric heating mat. The heat mat is plugged into the heating circuit on the controller, which is the grey box to the right. The clear vessel in the middle is being purged with CO2, ready for use as a conditioning tank later on.
I also came to the conclusion that my boiler wasn't quite getting hot enough to produce a proper rolling boil. It was always a bit weedy really, so I wrapped a bit of foam around it to reduce heat loss through the sides. This worked brilliantly and meant that I had a nice vigorous boil.
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