v3

Time to get off my ass and brew a beer. I bought the ingredients for Redcoat way back before Thanksgiving but couldn’t get to it. This weekend the weather looks to be really nice and I have no interest in the Toilet Bowl so Sunday is the day. As usual, I changed up the recipe a bit.

Sunday, February 3, 2019

Redcoat ESB v3 (Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale) – 12 gallon

Grain Bill

• 19 lbs. Maris Otter
• 1 lb. 8 oz. Crystal 60
• 1 lb. Special Roast
• 1 lb. 7oz. Aromatic
• 12 oz. CaraPils

Hop Bill

• 3.5 oz East Kent Goldings 6.1% – 60 mins.
• 1.5 oz East Kent Goldings 6.1% – 30 mins.
• 1 oz. Strisselspalt 1.3% – 0 mins. (because I can, that’s why)

Yeast

• Wyeast 1968 London ESB
• A very good cask conditioned ale strain, this extremely flocculant yeast produces distinctly malty beers. Attenuation levels are typically less than most other yeast strains which results in a slightly sweeter finish. Ales produced with this strain tend to be fruity, increasingly so with higher fermentation temperatures of 70-74°F (21-23° C). A thorough diacetyl rest is recommended after fermentation is complete. Bright beers are easily achieved within days without any filtration

Calculated Stats

Brew Day

Mash In 9:30 am @170˚ – step temp = 150˚ – 30 minutes dropped to 146˚

10:00 am bumped with 192˚ – step temp 152˚

10: 30 mash out with 204˚ – step temp 167˚ hold 10 minutes.

Long Vorlauf – end at 10:50

Sparge with 200˚ .

Collected 15 gallons – pre boil gravity 1.042 – LOW.

Boil 12:00 pm – Hops per schedule.

3 tabs Irish Moss 12:50.

Chiller and whirlpool via pump and long hose.

Extend boil – end 1:15.

Chilled fast. Tap water is at around 44˚.

Pump to fermenter in kitchen.

12 gallons in fermenter. Oxygenate and pitch yeast.

Original Gravity – 1.050

I thought the gravity miss was worse but I made a last minute recipe adjustment by reducing the Maris Otter to 19 pounds and did not update in Beer Smith. Gravity is closer now. Also helped that I collected more wort and extended the boil.

Brew day went very smooth. Very grateful Tom and Sam came by to help toward the end and Christine sent over some warm out of the oven chocolate chip cookies.

February 9, 2019

Racked to secondary. Really liking having primary fermentation in the kitchen and racking to secondary via the vent hole in the floor. Makes it super easy. Lo heavy lifting. Gravity is reading 1.013. This should finish out at 5% or just above. Sample tastes fantastic. Good smell too. Color is perfect. KICKING myself for not ordering that Firkin.

February 17, 2019

Racked to 2, 5 gallon kegs and 1, 2.5 gallon keg. Total of just around 12 gallons. FG = 1.012 making this beer 4.99% abv.

February 20, 2019

Drinking first pint. Needs a bit more time but so far I really like it. Perfect color. Nice aroma. Might have hit the flavors just right this time. Tastes like a beer I would order at Civil Life. We are brewing this years Oktoberfest this weekend and can’t wait to get feedback from the AGU crew.