Rusty, but successful brew day

[Enskede Brewery]

Hiya brewers!

Just wanted to let you know that I have just finished my first beer brewing session in over a decade. I have mashed malts and grains a few times lately to make Bourbon washes but they are more simple to do - no boiling, no hops, much more rustic brweing. But my last beer was at least 12 years ago.

I brewed a Kentucky Common using the following recipe:

1kg Torrefied Maize
1kg Melanoidin malt
2kg Barke Pilsner malt
0,3kg Carawheat
0,2kg Pale Chocolate malt

25L water plus some minerals in my Braumeister 20.

60 min rest @67C
10 min rest @69C (just in case)
Mashout at 76C.
70 min boil with Saaz hops at 60 mins (40gr) and 10 mins (10gr).

I ended up with 18,5L, instead of 20L, but at the target FG of 1.050. Now Hornindal kveik yeast has been pitched, at 28C. I will keep the fermentation more or less at this temp. Right now the yeast is in the lag phase, I use a paint mixer on a drill to oxygenate and it usually gives good results.

Conclusion. I had forgotten how sticky the wort gets after boil and how much steam there is during the boil. Me oh mio. I used to know exactly how much evaporation I would get from 60, 70, 80 and 90 minutes of boil but not now, not yet. I undershot , clearly but since my efficiency was down it was a blessing as I hit my SG target. I hate low alcohol beers, it's the Scandinavian in me, sorry. All in all, I am very happy with my brewday. No disasters but longer than I had anticipated.

Have a great Easter Sunday, y'all! /Pal

 

[Zambi]

And now for the difficult part...
Waiting

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Back in the saddle! As Zambi eluded to, patience! It’s so easy to try to rush it.

Happy Easter to you as well! And happy brewing too!

 

[Craigerrr]

Awesome!
Let us know how it progresses, Hornindal at 28C should burn through the fermentables pretty quick!

 

[Dave Y]

Hornindal ... That ought to be interesting. I used it in an amber ale a couple years back. It was great tasting beer, with a pronounced floral aroma, you just wouldn’t expect from a brown ale.

 

[Enskede Brewery]

Well for being a first brew in a while I'm not judging too hard. The beer is, honestly, unbalanced. The hops and the roasted malts are totally out of whack. Mind you, I still believe the beer will mature into a decent beer but it's not something that would win acclaim. Not that it was supposed to win awards, it was a first out. But the choco malt is to prominent and the hops seem out of place. I am letting it rest a couple of weeks, let's see then.

I also didn't get the conversion I was after, way lower. That irritates me. Not that it will make the beer bad, not at all, but I realize I didn't perform in the mashing. I realized after I should have added rice hulls but I forgot, and I was not giving the saccharification rest long enough time. Easy to be wise after the fact but I know these things - I was sloppy. And that is irritating. You know the feeling when you feel you were just not on the top of your game, not even half-ways?

Thanks for all the support though! It warms!

 

[Dave Y]

It’s ok to self critique but don’t go overboard. We’ve all been there.

 

[Craigerrr]

It’s ok to self critique but don’t go overboard. We’ve all been there.

Here here!

 

[Zambi]

And the beer is still very young....

 

[Vallka]

The beer will get better with time and the brewer will as well