Beer thread
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@MN5 said in Beer thread:
Are the criticisms of your brew actually valid or are the judges just being colossal beer piston wristed gibbons ?
some have very very good palates.
Personal view: I thinkg etting off the trub is overrated. I have been pressure fermenting and then serving straight from the fermzilla all rounder and the beer has been top tier. Mind you, it only lasts a few weeks - but getting off the trub hasn't been something that alarms me (or my beer nerding neighbour).
Your setup looks mint though, it's a great hobby.
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@MN5 said in Beer thread:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Beer thread:
@MN5 said in Beer thread:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Beer thread:
@MN5 said in Beer thread:
Hard to go wrong with an IPA of that strength. Nice looking head on it too. I suspect it’s pretty decent
I've got the 5L keg and beer dispenser pretty much sussed now. Might keep a keg of this for a couple of months to see how it goes/improves.
Yeah kegging is the next level I need to decide if I’m going to go to.
Not sure I can justify the cost with home renovations I have coming up !
Beer dispensers are around £100-150. Kegs are effectively free, re-usable bungs around £2.00
Go for it.
Sorry I should elaborate, I’ve been quoted a few hundy to hook up the taps in the wall ( will take a pic to explain better ) and the girl will tell me off for spending it if I do !
sounds expensive!
Kegging really has three key bits
- The kegs themselves
- The gas cylinder and regulator, and
- Taps of some form
In reverse order:
You cna get taps that go on the top of kegs and they aren't stupidly expensive. Nukatap are making some very good gear at the moment. I think about 60 bucks for a compact tap unit - but don't quote me on that.For the gas, it's well worth buying a decent size CO2 cylinder. Figure out where you get it tested and refilled though - and don't be scared of second hand. They don't really go wrong. This can be the most expensive part of the kegging experience ... so a lot of people just use sodastream bottles and pay the higher cost. It's CAPEX v OPEX; sodastream is low capex but OMFG they bleed you.
Finally, the kegs themselves aren't super expensive. Used to be a lazy hundy or so for second hand kegs - which work just fine.
My take on it: kegging is great. Dispenses the amount you wnat (a half glass right throuhg to multiple pours/a jug) at the right serving carbonation. The killer feature for me though is the beer drops beautifully clear (pilsner/lager/IPA) with time, and never warms up from the cold crash - so it looks after the hops.
For the hazy, I like serving straight from the fermzilla as oxygen then never gets anywhere near the beer.
Good luck! Happy to provide internet stranger level opinions anytime
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@MN5 and of course the point of my post that I missed (in classic Fern style) was that taps that have to be mounted externally will cost a bit - but shouldn't be hundreds unless you have to do joinery. Just beware of long connections from kegs to taps - it provides a good chance for beer to warm up and get shitty.
This sort of tap is good - just needs a shank to go through whatever you have behind it. Get the length right!
I paid extra for flow control because I struggled with foaming for a long time. Turned out to be shitty shanks, but you learn as you go right
Nukatap - Flow Control - Stainless Forward Sealing Tap
Nukatap - Flow Control - Stainless Forward Sealing Tap - for beer dispensing from BrewShop - your source of malt, hops, yeast and home brewing equipment.
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@nzzp said in Beer thread:
@MN5 said in Beer thread:
Are the criticisms of your brew actually valid or are the judges just being colossal beer piston wristed gibbons ?
some have very very good palates.
Personal view: I thinkg etting off the trub is overrated. I have been pressure fermenting and then serving straight from the fermzilla all rounder and the beer has been top tier. Mind you, it only lasts a few weeks - but getting off the trub hasn't been something that alarms me (or my beer nerding neighbour).
Your setup looks mint though, it's a great hobby.
I thought that maybe the judges and professionals were over-egging the whole thing too but honestly, I did a side by side comparison of my first brew moved off the trub with the last using the old method and I could tell the difference right away and importantly, so could friends who never knew I'd changed the method.
I find the taste is cleaner and it allows the hops to really shine. However, by changing that last hop addition at a lower temperature and for a shorter period of time also adds to that a great deal.
Also, forgot to add that I do a soft cold crash before moving the beer off the yeast trub to make sure that as much of the yeast and non-haze material drops out of the beer.
I know it's wanky but I honestly believe my beer is noticably better for doing this.
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Wonderful advice fellas.
For point of reference here are the taps in question. I’ve hung them on the wall for decoration in the cave until I decide what I’m doing.
I love the ‘West Coast’ look that they have.
Your beer brewing knowledge is amazing !
( or you’re really good bots
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@RoninWC said in Beer thread:
@nzzp said in Beer thread:
@MN5 said in Beer thread:
Are the criticisms of your brew actually valid or are the judges just being colossal beer piston wristed gibbons ?
some have very very good palates.
Personal view: I thinkg etting off the trub is overrated. I have been pressure fermenting and then serving straight from the fermzilla all rounder and the beer has been top tier. Mind you, it only lasts a few weeks - but getting off the trub hasn't been something that alarms me (or my beer nerding neighbour).
Your setup looks mint though, it's a great hobby.
I thought that maybe the judges and professionals were over-egging the whole thing too but honestly, I did a side by side comparison of my first brew moved off the trub with the last using the old method and I could tell the difference right away and importantly, so could friends who never knew I'd changed the method.
I find the taste is cleaner and it allows the hops to really shine. However, by changing that last hop addition at a lower temperature and for a shorter period of time also adds to that a great deal.
Also, forgot to add that I do a soft cold crash before moving the beer off the yeast trub to make sure that as much of the yeast and non-haze material drops out of the beer.
I know it's wanky but I honestly believe my beer is noticably better for doing this.
Great info. I'm going to try this for my next 20L batch. Should be an easy thing to do
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@MN5 said in Beer thread:
Brewed the Amber Ale tonight ( not actually on the poster….awkward )
Interested in any opinions on here compared to other brands ?
My Coconut stout is strong, flavourful and outstanding. Absolutely perfect for a winters night.
Brewed 2 of these. Tip: leave for at least 4 weeks before drinking.
The Muntons West Coast IPA I brewed was tasted by the local pub owner/beer festival organiser/craft brewer. He rated it really, really highly - said he'd be seriously happy to have behind the bar of his pub.
Brewing a Mangrove Jacks American IPA so will do a review in a month's time.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Beer thread:
@MN5 said in Beer thread:
Brewed the Amber Ale tonight ( not actually on the poster….awkward )
Interested in any opinions on here compared to other brands ?
My Coconut stout is strong, flavourful and outstanding. Absolutely perfect for a winters night.
Brewed 2 of these. Tip: leave for at least 4 weeks before drinking.
The Muntons West Coast IPA I brewed was tasted by the local pub owner/beer festival organiser/craft brewer. He rated it really, really highly - said he'd be seriously happy to have behind the bar of his pub.
Brewing a Mangrove Jacks American IPA so will do a review in a month's time.
I will do. Intrigued to see how it tastes. Bottling next week so will be ready around early October.
Jeepers. That is some praise for the Muntons.
…..and yep the American IPA was really decent, will definitely be brewing that one again.
I have the Pink Grapefruit IPA ageing in the garage as we speak
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@MN5 said in Beer thread:
Jeepers. That is some praise for the Muntons.
I'm not an expert, but 3 people have now tasted it and couldn't believe it was from kit. 8:45 in is the review
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Beer thread:
@MN5 said in Beer thread:
Jeepers. That is some praise for the Muntons.
I'm not an expert, but 3 people have now tasted it and couldn't believe it was from kit. 8:45 in is the review
Good work. That is some praise indeed.
We’ve been Mangrove Jacks and Black Rock all the way so far so definitely keen to see how this goes.
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@Victor-Meldrew added the hops to the Muntons, can confirm it smells extraordinary good. Very excited about it !
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@MN5 said in Beer thread:
Having a Muntons on a rainy capital afternoon.
Very nice, VERY bitter. Almost too bitter ?looking for something for autumn/winter and not keen on too much bitterness so good to know.
Carbonation absolutely perfect as the picture ( hopefully ) shows
How much sugar do you add in per litre for carbonation?
I use about 12g per 5L litre keg which works out fine for me.
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@Victor-Meldrew said in Beer thread:
@MN5 said in Beer thread:
Having a Muntons on a rainy capital afternoon.
Very nice, VERY bitter. Almost too bitter ?looking for something for autumn/winter and not keen on too much bitterness so good to know.
Carbonation absolutely perfect as the picture ( hopefully ) shows
How much sugar do you add in per litre for carbonation?
I use about 12g per 5L litre keg which works out fine for me.
Individually in each bottle. 2 sugar drops per 750 ml does the trick.
I had a few stouts that virtually exploded upon opening so had to make sure I had a jug handy to pour them, had a disaster in the kitchen, turns out the girl doesn’t like dark beer sprayed all over a cream wall, that took a bit of scrubbing to get out !
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@MN5 said in Beer thread:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Beer thread:
@MN5 said in Beer thread:
Having a Muntons on a rainy capital afternoon.
Very nice, VERY bitter. Almost too bitter ?looking for something for autumn/winter and not keen on too much bitterness so good to know.
Carbonation absolutely perfect as the picture ( hopefully ) shows
How much sugar do you add in per litre for carbonation?
I use about 12g per 5L litre keg which works out fine for me.
Individually in each bottle. 2 sugar drops per 750 ml does the trick.
I had a few stouts that virtually exploded upon opening so had to make sure I had a jug handy to pour them, had a disaster in the kitchen, turns out the girl doesn’t like dark beer sprayed all over a cream wall, that took a bit of scrubbing to get out !
I pop the 5L kegs into the fridge for a day or two after I had a Mt Etna - seems to do the trick.
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that beer looks tasty.
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@nostrildamus said in Beer thread:
that beer looks tasty.
It was, will have another with dinner tonight.
Has a definite bitterness the others didn’t have, perhaps Muntons is a slightly different style than others I’ve used ?
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@MN5 said in Beer thread:
Having a Muntons on a rainy capital afternoon.
Very nice, VERY bitter. Almost too bitter ?
Looks lovely and is a great drop, better have another with dinner to make sure.
Carbonation absolutely perfect as the picture ( hopefully ) shows
Forgot to compliment you on the picture and the tankard - nice!
