Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

Ok back from holidays, and was asked for this recipe. Only have it in 50L batch size as its a quick drinker so I make lots of it. Essentially this should turn out something akin to the Queensland XXXX Bitter (red bottle - not the nasty gold watery thing). On a hot day when I just want "beer" to drink - this does the trick nicely. Its super simple, but very tasty.


Batch size - 50L

Est original Gravity : 1.047
Est final Gravity : 1.008

Hops
40g - Cluster - Boil 60.0 min
30g - Cluster - Boil 15.0 min

Malt

8.70kg - Pale 2 row

1.00kg - Cane sugar (can be added to start or end of boil as long as it all dissolves - I prefer adding about 15-20 min before end of boil, dont know why I do it that way)

Yeast

California Lager (Wyeast #2112) or North American Lager (Wyeast #2272)

You want to ferment this around 18-20 degrees max if possible, to give a nice clean finish and no additional flavours from the yeast. You can also add some of that stuff whose name escapes me at the moment, which will help it finish super dry - I would recommend doing that especially if you cant keep the temp down/stable.

Thanks wedwards :handgestures-thumbupleft: will definatly give this a go. Whats your all grain spec ie mash tun, boiler etc

Up until sometime last year I was using a cooler with false bottom for mash tun, and a gas Mongolian burner with 54 litre stainless pot.

Last year I got a 50L braumeister at $1000 off rrp because it had a couple dents in it and couldn't be sold as new. At that price I couldn't say no, and it's improved my brewing out of this world - both in terms of how quickly I can make beer with the least amount of effort, as well as the quality of my final product.

For doing test/small batches (10 - 15 liters) I just use brew in a bag with a 20 litre pot on the kitchen stove. This works really well for when I'm messing with a new recipe and don't want to waste too much grain on something that might be crap.

I'm actually looking to sell my old setup but haven't had a chance to work out what I want to sell and how much $$ etc, but it's a great starter setup and it's what I learnt on.

Interesting to see you are using lager yeast at ale temps and not getting any off flavours. I always ferment at 10c with lager yeast to prevent the yeast throwing up bad flavours. Takes longer but always nice and clean. Allowing the temp to rise a few degrees a day near the end of the ferment helps it finish up the fermentables a lot more.

What mash temp do you aim for?

I'm using the braumeister so it regulates temp starting at mash in at 50 then raises up over various steps until 77 or 78 I think from memory then mash out.

Even though those yeasts say they are lager in the name, in my opinion they aren't true lager yeasts, so a ferment at 20 degrees is fine and expected, without giving off flavours. I've tried to ferment at 10 degrees with them, and they just go to sleep. I think of them as "lager-like" yeasts, giving a lagerish finish without the hassle of using a true lager yeast.

Mashing at 77 Are you sure? 70 is stout temp, 65 lager.

I am guessing you use the sugar for added attenuation and dryness? If so, mashing way low (63) will do a better job IMO.
What are you fermenting in?

Yeah I don't tend to listen to the "rules" so much - in theory they work but I've found they are pretty flawed and so I just do my own thing. I used to do mashes in the 60s with my original gear, but since getting the braumeister and using some brewing forum step temps, the exact same beers I used to brew are 1000 times better on the braumeister with the higher temps. I can explain that given conventional wisdom, but I'd be interested to know what you thought I would get out of doing it that way? I could certainly try it and see.

For fermenting, I've got 4 shiny stainless kegs sitting here to be commissioned into 50L fermenters, but at present I'm just using plastic. Have 3 or 4 30lites ones and a couple 60L, plus a big 200L plastic drum for my whiskey.

Was going to go canonical but the cost outweighs the benefits in my opinion.

Also yeah the sugar in that recipe is as you say, but of you use raw sugar, there is that nice residual caramel/toffee taste that I find I like. You could leave it out and just add some extra pale malt or even some lightish crystal for more flavour from malt if you wanted.

I was just wondering if you had fermentation control like a fermenting fridge (which I reckon is one, if not the most important aspect)

As for mashing, without going into the effect of temps on the beta and alpha amylase, I think the jury is pretty solid on the fact that for a thinner and drier mash then lower temps is better. For less attenuation ( and a thicker, fuller beer) over 66 is the go. Just seems like you are doing two things which compete. Adding sugar which lowers FG and makes a beer dry and thin (which you want in a lager), but mashing high which fights that.

But......if you like the product who cares!!!!

Nah don't have fermentation fridge unfortunately.

I hate watery beers do I'm always chasing full bodied results. Nothing I make is meant to be a lager, although the finish on some is similar. I understand about those mashing temps, I just know what I like ;)

Gave a Belgian blonde to a mate recently who is an expert in all beers Belgian and he reckons it was as good as some if the best commercial ones. That's meant to be a lager, but no one could tell I had upped the temp in mash ;)

Yeah those Braumeisters are decent kits. Stepped mash - protein rest at about 50, then sacc rest around mid 60's, then the mash out at 77. Just looked at the wyeast info and it does have the higher ferment temp range - so good job there. I've not used that strain, just other lager ones and they always want to be around 10c. Also have to double to the amount of cells for healthy ferment.

Those Belgians do things a fair bit differently to most. Also the wateryness of a lot of american lagers is due to them pilsner malt and adjuncts like rice which provides fermentables and not much else. Instead of adding just sugar for the extra alcohol, how about light dried malt. That will give you some more body, or even carapils/carafoam.

I notice you guys doing protein rests at 50c. Do you find it affects head retention?

I was doing them and couldn't work out why my beer wouldn't hold a head then I read a post from Thistyboy on AHB
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/17817 ... ntry243529

55c all the way for me now.

I do it at 52 degrees, then maltose, then a couple sugar rests before mashing out. Most of my beers are pretty big. I don't make many beers under 8-10% - I classify light beer as 5% most of the time.

As thirsty said modern day well modified malts don't need a protein rest..in saying that, the best brewer I know uses them, especially in hefes.

MaxTT wrote:As thirsty said modern day well modified malts don't need a protein rest..in saying that, the best brewer I know uses them, especially in hefes.

Yeah modern malts aren't sposed to need it but I notice a difference when I do it. So far no one I've talked to about this has been able to explain it so I just do it and figure it can't hurt too much ... Hopefully.