Kitchen Sink Stout

Named after the accidental destination of around half of the mini-mash.

Ingredients:
Black Rock Miner's Stout Kit
1KG Light Dried Malt Extract
200g Choc Malt, steeped
150g Black Patent Malt, steeped
30g Goldings for 1 hour
20g Fuggles for 30 mins
10g Fuggles for 10 mins
Safale S-04 Yeast

Brewing Notes:
Brewed with the aid of Sham.
This one was marked by debacles. First up, once I had the Malt Extract almost boiling I tried to turn on the sandwich toaster, but instead cranked up the blender, which had some plastic utensils residing therein, and which it promptly went to town on, spewing plastic shards around the kitchen and into my brewing kettle. Sigh. So we started a new boil, and started the mini-mash up as well, but as I mentioned before, I managed to strain half of it straight into the sink. Double sigh.

Fermenting Notes:
Yay for a $50 submersible heater!

Bottling Notes:
Bottled 9/07/09. Doh for one broken submersible heater...

Tasting Notes:
12/05/10 - Probably should have done some tasting notes earlier....but, its a solid stout, nice bitter smooth roasted finish, some subtle hop flavour, especially once it warms up a tad. Stouts with Light Malt Extract and speciality grains are the way to go I reckon. Dark Malt Extract leaves it too cloying and doesn't let the other flavours through. Still have quite a few left so hopefully I'll remember to take down some more tasting notes. Guest Reviever Marco- 'Tastes like Stout.'

Bock Me? Bock You!!

Not sure if this would be considered a true Bock, within the guidelines of a Beer Competition anyway, but frankly, I don't care.

Ingredients:
Blackrock Bock Kit
1kg Dark Dried Malt Extract
300g Dextrose
100g Choc Malt, steeped
100g Medium Crystal Malt, steeped
20g Fuggles for 30 mins
10g Fuggles for 10 mins
Made to 20L
Saflager S-189 yeast.

Brewing Notes:
Lovely aromas filled the whole house. Mmm...

Fermenting Notes:
I may have forgotten to pitch the yeast for almost 24hrs, but it seems to be okay, no signs of infection. Really have to up my game...

Bottling Notes:
Bottled 9/07/09.

A Pilsner in the hand...

My first attempt at a lager, and what better to make than the beer that brought lager to the world.

Ingredients:
Thomas Cooper's Pilsner Kit
1kg Light Dried Malt Extract
200g Carapils, steeped
20g Saaz NZ (IBU: 7) 1 hr
25g Saaz NZ 30 mins
15g Saaz NZ 10 mins
Saflager S-23

Fermenting Notes:
Pitched at around 18C, hopefully doesn't prove to be a problem.

Bottling Notes:
Bottled 9/07/09. Tastings taken at bottling suggest that the later hop additions probably should have been slightly smaller, but paint me green and call me Gumby, it does smell nice.

Immediate Plans

The Brewcave Warmville (our housewarming for the layman) has been pencilled in for the 24th of next month, which shall necessitate numerous beverages to whet the tongues of the guests. Unfortunately, the sun hangs low in the winter sky, oft-times covered by a thick blanket of cloud. The resulting chill makes brewing difficult, especially for someone with a prelediction for ales. 'Time to buy some more submersible heaters!' he cries. Thus, plans remain afoot for a few more batches, including a alcoholic lemonade for the ladies, and then, good sir, madam, its on to numerous batches for the 21st of her Corcoraness, Lady Jane, my dear sister.

The Sweetness of Wheatness

Wheat is my sweet weakness. Erm, femur?

Ingredients:
Thomas Coopers Wheat Beer Kit
Cooper's Liquid Wheat Malt Extract
30g Saaz @ 60 mins
15g Hallertau @ 30 mins
20g Hallertau @ 15 mins
Safale Wheat Yeast x 2

Fermenting Notes:
This baby needs heating! Enter submersible heater, stage left. Boo-yeah. Pitched 2 sachets of yeast, just cos I had two.

Bottling Notes:
Stay tuned

Tasting Notes:
Stay tuned

The Pilsenale

Not quite a Pilsner.

Ingredients:
Black Rock Pilsner Kit
Mogan's Extra Pale Liquid Malt Extract
500g Dextrose
250g Carapils, steeped
30g Saaz @ 30 mins
10g Saaz @ 10 mins
Low gravity ale yeast.

Fermenting Notes:
This one sat unattended in the fermenter for about one and a half months after it finished fermenting, during which time I forgot it was a Pilsenale (my new name for a Pilsner made with an ale yeast. I seemed to think it was a wheat, but upon bottling, when it didn't taste anything like a wheat beer I took stock of my leftover supplies, and sure enough, I still had a wheat beer kit and copious amounts of wheat malt extract.

Bottling Notes:
Yay for sun and Monday arvo PBS programs (one of which was quite aptly named Homebrew, though it refers to the fact it only plays Australian music).

Tasting Notes:
Stay tuned.

The Monster meets The Otis

Presenting the Cliford Stout.

Ingredients:
2 x Cooper's Stout Kits
1kg Dark Dried Malt Extract
500g Milo approx
200g Black Patent Malt
20g Fuggles @ 30 mins
10g Fuggles @ 10 mins
High Gravity Ale Yeast.

Fermenting Notes:
Left in fermenter for about a month and a half after fermentation finished, finally bottled into longnecks on Monday the 16th. At least it follows the precedent set by the previous Milo Stout (see below). During that time the taste went from roasted goodness through soy saucey to reach a flavour and aroma reminiscent of a Dark Christmas Pudding at bottling. Stay tuned for tasting.

Bottling Notes:
It was a sunny winter's day, and I was listening to PBS. Housemates were studying feverishly for exams, which is exactly what I should have been doing....
First brew of the new house too, this one.