Ale, Beer, Stout appreciation

Today was brew day at Simons for our Aylesbury Estate Porter.

We mashed the following grains for an hour at 67oC:

4kg pale malt
500g chocolate malt
500g caramalt
350g black mal
150g biscuit malt

My grain bag didn't fit my mash tun so we tied it to a bar that has been screwed into the kitchen wall so that the bag didn't touch the mash tun element. After mashing we boiled for an hour with east kent holdings hops in for the hour and phoenix hops in for the last 15 mins. We cooled the wort using the ice bath method then pitched English ale yeas

Got a gravity reading of 1.52 and after fermenting/conditioning should be about 4.5%. It's now fermenting away in Simon's garage.

Will be ready in December, will probably make a south easts guest appearance.

Sounds delicious. How much did you hop? (I see the timings but not the weights- 4oz of each?)

Are you mashing in your boiler? Or a specific tun with an element and thermostat? I've only ever mashed in an insulated picnic cooler which makes it tougher to control the temperature through the mash.

Yeah mashing in my boiler which has a temperature control. It's called a peco electrim mashing/boiler bin. Can't remember the weights of the hops, defo more goldings than phoenix.

Just moved the fermenting bucket to inside the house, it's getting a bit chilly in the garage.

Cool, will look that up. I presume the grains went in a bag to avoid the need for a false bottom when drawing off the wort?

Yeah stuck them all in a bag which makes the clean up afterwards easier

Tried some Fuller Golden Pride at lunch... Not a golden ale but an 8.5% trap. Nice though

Going to the Independent Manchester Beer Conventention tonight. Looking forward to drinking an excess number of 1/3 pints.

Mikkeler and To Øl showing, as well as local faves like Thornbridge and Marble.

I saw the menu last night, it looks pretty epic.

If i spell convention like that now, imagine how it'll be later!

I had originally wanted Sat tix, but i think the Friday offering is actually superior.

Though no Fosters?! It is brewed extremely locally.

Ha.

They were at this: http://www.theeveningbrews.co.uk/london-craft-beer-festival-2013-a-review/

It was good.

Tried some Weird Beard beer (at the Hops & Glory)
Not bad at all. They claim as their usp that they are not based in Easy London but in West. The only microbrewery in Ealing/Hanwell? Is this true?
(While the beer is good their website is annoying as are plaited beards)

Weird Beard do make some really good beer, but they mostly seem to make really strong IPAs.

cant believe i didnt hear about the beer convention

Im sat in my room and I can see victoria baths like 15 seconds away. FS

they are not based in Easy London but in West.

You mean in Hard London? :)

Can't get enough Beavertown Smog Rocket at the moment. Not seeing it in enough places but I reckon that will change. Perfect winter drinking. This is the time of year ale comes into its own.

Yeah stuck them all in a bag which makes the clean up afterwards easier

AKA the Boil In A Bag (BIAB) method. Best way if space is limited.
Recipe looks great. I guess this is for bottling; will you drop it into a secondary vessel beforehand or not bother?
Strictly speaking we should take this chat here....

Was toying with the idea of putting it in my keg with some cocoa nibs

How many people here are Camra members? Just got given a membership. Any pubs people can recommend that give good discount? I know the Clapton Hart is £3 a pint which is pretty good considering their range.

You should have some 50p off vouchers for Weatherspoons with the membership. Shitty pubs I know but a suprisingly good range of beer and the vouchers will bring a lot of them below £2 a pint.

Oh I frequent spoons a fair bit. I'm no snob. Well I am, but they do have a decent collection.

How many people here are Camra members? Just got given a membership. Any pubs people can recommend that give good discount? I know the Clapton Hart is £3 a pint which is pretty good considering their range.

Craft beer co
Hops & glory
Earl of Essex
Snooty fox
Jolly butchers?
Cock tavern?

IMBC was absolutely brilliant. I'd be lying if i could tell you what the best beers were as i sampled a large number and took no notes. Great atmosphere, great beers, and all pretty reasonably priced. Will be back in 2014.

Just spent a fairly large sum on an nice all grain home brew setup. Should arrive this week. First up will be a double citra IPA (Kernel clone from here).
Been reading Papazian's 'Joy of Home Brewing' and Palmer's 'How to Brew' for a while now and think I've just about got the concept of brewing but still feel a little overwhelmed!