November, 2010:

I messed this one up somewhat…  The actual recipe in Wheeler’s book called for 3450g of pale malt, but 2230g of DME.  I’m an idiot, so I put in 3450g of DME.  The result is that it ended up around 1.060 rather than 1.040, so a bit stronger and darker, and consequently a bit less bitter as the hop utilisation will be lower.  Might still be a nice beer, of course, just not much like Strong Arm!

• Length: 25 litres
• OG 1.060
• FG
• ABV

Recipe:

Comments:

I also had my first boil-over.  A bit messy, but fortunately I was standing next to it at the time so caught it before it went everywhere.  I had left the lid on while it reached boiling and didn’t realise it had got that close.

For the first time I’m using a different yeast, US-05 rather than S-04.

Here’e the Beer engine .berf file for this recipe (how I actually did it, rather than the proper recipe!)

2010-11-15: Only dropped to 1.024 after 8 days, which is rather slow.  Increased the temperature on the ATC-800 from 19C to 21C.  Also looking rather cloudy still – looks like this yeast drops clear at a slower rate than S-04.  I’ll not be bottling any of them this week, I’d say!

2010-11-17: Now dropped to 1.016.  Lots of krausen sitting on the top of the brew still, so the yeast is not yet dropping, which would explain the lack of clarity.  Seems like this yeast takes its time.  The taste is a bit sharp today, which is odd.  Not entirely unpleasant, but I hope it’s not a sign of infection.

2010-11-22: Yesterday it was almost nail-polishy. Acetone/ester/fusel, I don’t know.  Possibly a bit reduced today.  Will see how it goes over the next few days.  The yeast is dropping now – just small patches on the surface.  God knows what’s happening with this one!

2010-11-24: Tastes absolutely foul.  Must be infected, so I now have 25 litres of drain cleaner.  Arse.