Two-birds Pilsner.

A recreation of an old classic.

Ingredients:

Thomas Coopers Pilsener Kit

1kg LDME

700g Carapils, steeped for half an hour

25g NZ Saaz for 1 hr

20g NZ Saaz for 30 mins

15g NZ Saaz for 15 mins

Saflager Dry Lager Yeast

Brewing Notes:

Brewed on the 1/11/10. Nice weather, Carcs dropped by, smashed it out quick-smart. Small boil volume may have ramifications on the flavour, as it could result in a higher level of caramelisation of the sugars in the boil. Not sure, we've only heard rumours of this here at CCB.

Bottling Notes:

Bottled on the 20th of Nov, two days before heading to Italy.

Tasting Notes:

1st Taste on the 12th of December, two days after heading to Italy: I'm not totally sure which Pils is which, as I forgot to note this when I made them. Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid. Because one is fantastic, and one is not so great. I think this is the one that is not so great, as I bottled the bad one 2nd out of a fermenter sealed with glad wrap, and that was the one that I made 2nd. Not great logic, even worse memory. Bugger.

Seasonal fruit and other whimseys.

It would seem that the Corktropolis City Brewhouse (CCB) has missed the window on Blood- Orange-ade. Tis a shame, it would have been awesome. However, it does mean that an alcoholic lemonade is much more likely, as we could really do with some practice using citrus in brewing. So stay tuned as there should be a lemonade recipie up here soon, and, given that uni is winding down and that summer is winding up, it's a mighty good time of the year to be brewing, so we should actually be getting around to it sometime very soon.

Further to that, the partial mash Pilsner attempt ended in some confusion(see "An Extractive Industrial Pilsner" here). However, after checking out some clips of all-grain brewing, confusion abdicated, as it were, and the ease with which a switch to basic all-grain brewing could be made was revealed.

Thus, a quest begins. The Brewhouse is in need of a large esky with a tap in the bottom, and a vessel in which to boil 25L of wort (note to self - compile a dictionary of brewing terms). You have your mission. See you on the other side of all-grain, Brewcave peeps.

An Extractive Industry

The Brewcave is a most industrious place.

Extractive Industrial Pilsner

3 kg Light Dry Malt Extract

1kg Pilsner Malt, mini mash.

0.5 kg CaraPils malted grain, mini-mash.

45g NZ Saaz - 1hr

25g Czech Saaz - 30 mins

15g Czech Saaz - 15 mins

German Lager Yeast, dried.

Brewing Notes:

24/10/2010. First mini-mash with malted grains. Seemed to go pretty well, managed to keep it steady in the 60-70 range. Ideally, it should be more steady than that, but as this was the inaugural CCB partial-mash, we shall allow for some leeway.

I subsequently learned that I cocked up the partial vibe, didn't sparge or anything. This mistake will not be repeated.

Bottling Notes:

Bottled two days before heading to Italy, on the 20th of Nov.

Tasting Notes:

Tasted two days after getting back from Italy, on the 12th of Dec. Bloody good. I think. See above.

Plans

We've been a bit quite around the Brewcave these last few months. The Brewcave Warming was a smash hit. We think. We're not sure, we can't remember a sizable chunk of it. But we packed the cave full of people, who duly drank it dry of beer (and punch, and Tequila, and Whisky, and assorted other beverages both alcoholic and mundane). Thanks to all who came and made it a good night.

However, plans are afoot to begin building a stash for the summer. The classic Pilsner (check out 'A Pilsner in the Hand...' in June 09 for the general vibe on this bad boy) is going to feature heavily, though at least two batches will head to neighbor Dan, whose mowers we have a nasty habit of breaking.

I'd like to have a crack at some non-kit versious, using a mini-mash and extract instead, and at some point the Brewcave will need to make the leap to all-grain, which means yet more equipment. Good times beckon.

When I say Ginger, you say Beer.

Ginger Beer

2.1 kg Ginger, peeled and minced.

1 kg Light Dried Malt Extract

2 kg Dextrose

500 g Riverina Wildflower Honey, non-pasteurised.

4 cloves, pinch of nutmeg, tablespoon of cinnamon sugar, just for shits and giggles.

Dry Ale Yeast

Made to 23 L.

Brewing Notes:

Brewed on the day of our science 16/09/10, with the capable aid of Mr Matty Church, gentleman and vintner. Yes, vintner, we're broadening our horizons here at the Brewcave, as this was also my first non-kit Ginger Beer. Hope it turns out.

Bottling Notes:

In fermenter.

Tasting Notes:

Stay tuned.

Black Sheep Stout

Busted this bad boy out in under two hours. Sup!

Ingredients:

Thomas Coopers Irish Stout Kit

1.5kg Liquid Light Malt Extract

400g Cara Aroma

250 Roasted Barley

20g Goldings @ 45 mins

25g Fuggles @ 45 mins

25g Fuggles @ 15 mins

Safale S-04 English Ale Yeast

Tasting Notes:

Bloody good from memory, most of it didn't see the morning after the Brewcave Warming, and what was left is all gone. But definitely going to try out this vibe again.

Pilsner time.

Another attempt at the seminal style coming at you.

Pilsner
Thomas Cooper's Pilsner Kit
1.5 kg Coopers Light Liquid Malt Extract
250g Carapils - steeped 30mins
30g NZ Saaz - 45 mins
15 NZ Saaz - 15 mins
Saflager

Brewing Notes:
This one is rather less hoppy than the last attempt, which I'm beginning to regret, as the last one was bloody good. Ah well. Another one will follow soon, and I have a bloody lot of NZ Saaz sitting around.

Fermenting Notes:
Pitched the next morning, as it was too hot when I went to bed. Whoops, need to pour the boil onto ice I think.

Bottling Notes:

Bottled 8/6/10, with the aid of Felix I, Duc De Natris.

**************************************************

Batch 2

Same as above, but made about a week later.

Brewcave Mk II

After a hiatus of over 10 months, the Corktropolis City Brewhouse is back in action.

We have now moved into the Brewhouse's fourth incarnation, the Brewcave Mk II, aka the Beetham Brewcave. (Earlier incarnations include the primeval Brewshed, the Griffon Brewnexe 1.0 and 1.5, and the Brown St Brewcave.)

Sadly, the inbuilt gas stove on these premises is not up to the challenge of even a 10L boil, so a good three months of the 10 month break can be blamed on this sad state of affairs. The other seven months, however, we'll pretend that we were busy doing something interesting.

But the Brewcave is well and truly in action now, as we bought a three-ring gas burner today.

Works. A. Treat.

So with no futher ado, here is the inaugural...

Brewcave Mk II Stout
Thomas Coopers Irish Stout Kit
1kg LDME
40g Fuggles @ 45 mins
20g Fuggles @ 15 mins.
2 x Thomas Coopers Kit Yeast.
10L Boil.

Brewing Notes:
Done in Ma's big jam pot. Good to have that link with the past. DJ Shadow and then the Doors cranked, sun was shining, in short, a bloody good day.

Bottling Notes:
Bottled 22/05/2010. Apollo has smiled upon this day. Bottled with the able assistance of Marco the Anti-Polo.

Tasting Notes:

8/06/10: Bloody Good. Drinkable. Not very stouty, some slight roasty notes, but very minimal. Pretty happy with it.