Ads not shown when logged in
Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 42

Thread: Brewing Up A Storm? Maybe!

  1. #1
    Roving RAT ROBCamra's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Rochdale
    Posts
    5,860

    Default Brewing Up A Storm? Maybe!

    In 3 weeks or so there's going to be a Meet The Brewer night at The Baum.

    Simon (the landlord) and I have been invited to Green Mill Brewery next Thursday (20th) to brew a beer for the occasion.

    We have to choose our own hops & malt with Mat & Phil (the brewers) supplying all the actual brewing expertise and us doing the lifting, carrying, shovelling etc.

    We're after a 4.2% light, hoppy beer. The kind that usually sells a 9 in about 4 hours in the pub.

    In other words something like a Mallinsons or Ossett brew.

    We have our own ideas, but has anyone got any ideas/advice or recipes they would like to try brewing themselves?

    We've also got an idea for the name, but suggestions, mainly clean, are welcomed.

    Looking forward to it!!
    Last edited by ROBCamra; 12-10-2011 at 09:24.
    A pub is for life not just for Christmas

  2. #2
    This Space For Hire aleandhearty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    West Yorkshire
    Posts
    3,535

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ROBCamra View Post
    Simon (the landlord) and I have been invited to Green Mill Brewery next Thursday (20th) to brew a beer for the occasion.

    We're after a 4.2% light, hoppy beer. The kind that usually sells a 9 in about 4 hours in the pub.

    In other words something like a Mallinsons or Ossett brew.
    Wow! Have to say I'm quite envious ROB. Based on current (limited) brewing knowledge, if I was given the opportunity I'd probably go for a 90% lager malt, 10% pale ale malt split and use Citra, Cascade and Nelson Sauvin hops, with some dry hopping.

    Regarding the name, if it's pale and hoppy, how about Hop Baum?

    Good luck with your brew. Don't suppose the Baum regulars will be backward in coming forward with their opinions!
    'And where he supped the past lived still. And where he sipped the glass brimmed full' John Barleycorn, Carol Ann Duffy.

  3. #3
    Real Ale Drinker Brewguru's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Martock, Somerset
    Posts
    132

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by aleandhearty View Post
    Wow! Have to say I'm quite envious ROB. Based on current (limited) brewing knowledge, if I was given the opportunity I'd probably go for a 90% lager malt, 10% pale ale malt split and use Citra, Cascade and Nelson Sauvin hops, with some dry hopping.

    Regarding the name, if it's pale and hoppy, how about Hop Baum?

    Good luck with your brew. Don't suppose the Baum regulars will be backward in coming forward with their opinions!
    You'll need some wheat there for head retention, betwenn 5 and 10% of the malt.
    Could be quite thin and dry (I know you want pale and hoppy) but I'd use some modified but pale malt to give it a bit of body without too much colour - pale crystal, caramalt, even munich malt.
    Hopwise go for any combination of "C" hops from the US, but only in the late boil/ aroma/ dry hop. For the bittering I'd use some British hops such as target, northdown or first gold as I think most "C" hops are unsuitable for this and give a harsh flavour (some like it though).

    Just my humble opinion and ignore me if you wish!

  4. #4
    This Space For Hire Rex_Rattus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    New Malden
    Posts
    1,441

    Default

    Hi ROB - thanks for giving me the heads up on this when we were in The Fringe a couple of weeks ago. It sounds like great fun - but I'll leave it to others who know what they are talking about to give the benefit of their technical knowledge.

    Mention of Green Mill Brewery reminds me of the Green Mill bar in Chicago. This was a favourite haunt of Al Capone and his henchmen, and is one to be added to your list. Obviously you'll be provided with an extensive checklist when the time comes, so do keep in touch on that.

  5. #5
    Palookaville hondo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    3,154

    Default

    The Baum Supremacy
    "Do I know where hell is? hell is in hello"

  6. #6
    Roving RAT ROBCamra's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Rochdale
    Posts
    5,860

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hondo View Post
    The Baum Supremacy
    That's my team name in the premier league game. Got there before you hondo.
    A pub is for life not just for Christmas

  7. #7
    This Space For Hire aleandhearty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    West Yorkshire
    Posts
    3,535

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Brewguru View Post
    Just my humble opinion and ignore me if you wish!
    Not at all. It's quite obvious you know what you're talking about, whereas I was merely indulging in a little online reverie. I think your reply may well spur me on to clear the cellar and start having a go at brewing my own, really learning about the process and ingredients.
    'And where he supped the past lived still. And where he sipped the glass brimmed full' John Barleycorn, Carol Ann Duffy.

  8. #8
    This Space For Hire Wittenden's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Weald of Kent
    Posts
    2,036

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Brewguru View Post
    For the bittering I'd use some British hops such as target, northdown or first gold as I think most "C" hops are unsuitable for this and give a harsh flavour (some like it though).
    Funny old world-I was talking to my neighbour who is a hop grower.Alongside the Goldings and Admiral he grows a fair proportion of Target. For years these were almost a "commodity", but now there seems to be a quality premium on account of the alpha content.
    "At that moment I would have given a kingdom, not for champagne or hock and soda, or hot coffee but for a glass of beer" Marquess Curzon of Kedlestone, Viceroy of India.

  9. #9
    Roving RAT ROBCamra's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Rochdale
    Posts
    5,860

    Default

    Well a decision has been made with regard to the hops.

    We'll be using a mix of Aurora & Chinook.

    The favourite name so far is "Grumpy Gits" as we're brewing it for the local 41 Club's meet the brewer night although we're telling them it's named after Simon and I.

    I think Phil & Mat from Green Mill may grass us up on the night though.

    Malt variety is still under discussion, we'll have to see what they've got in stock at the brewery on Thursday.
    A pub is for life not just for Christmas

  10. #10
    Roving RAT ROBCamra's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Rochdale
    Posts
    5,860

    Default

    Well the brew is now in the fermenter for the next 7 days.

    Simon and I arrived at the Cask & Feather, home of Green Mill brewery at 9:30.

    Phil already had the liquor (water) almost up to temperature (73 degrees) in preparation for the mash.

    He showed us how to mix the hot liquor with the malt, we are using Pearl Malt, whilst slowly feeding it into the mash tun.

    We then did a bag of malt each, it's a lot harder than Phil makes it look and you use muscles I'd forgotten I had since I stopped playing darts regularly.

    Once completed Mat did un "underfill" which involves putting more liquor in the bottom of the tun to stop everything bunging up.

    Green Mill is a 5 barrel plant and they have 3 fermenters which allow them to brew 3 times per week.

    All 3 fermenters were full, one with Green Mill Gold, their best seller, and 2 with the Halloween special Pumpkin Ale made with fresh pumpkin.

    This meant that the whole rear area smelt of pumpkins.

    We had to empty one of the fermenters to get our brew in, so the next job was to clean and sterilise ten 9 gallon barrels.

    That done we still had 50 minutes to kill before we could sparg the brew so we went to the The Regal Moon (JD Wetherspoon) for breakfast.

    Back at the brewery we set the brew up to be transferred to the copper and started sparging, which involves pouring hot liquor over the mash through a revolving head, much like a garden sprinkler.

    Whilst this was going on we filled the 10 barrels with Green Mill Gold from the fermenter.

    We then retreated to the bar in the Cask to have a chat with Jackie the landlady and to sample the wares.

    Once the sparging had finished and the copper had been boiled the hops were added.

    For a 5 barrel brew we used 2 kg of Aurora and 250g of Chinook. Aurora adds lots of aroma and Chinook hoppiness & bitterness.

    We then left Mat to complete the task of transferring the finished product to the fermenter as Simon was needed back at the Baum.

    We'll find out what we've brewed in another week.

    The meet the brewer night is on 2nd November and four of the barrels will be in the Baum cellar by then.

    I'm sure we'll get told exactly how well/badly we've done on the night.

    I also expect that someone will let slip to the 41 Club why it's going to be called "Grumpy Old Gits"

    Watch this space for the critical acclaim (or not).

    The other 6 barrels will be going out to the local free trade and if it's successful they'll brew it again as the exact ingredients etc were all entered into the brewery laptop.

    An interesting day out and thanks to Mat & Phil for their friendliness (and patience) with 2 complete novices. Thanks guys.
    Last edited by ROBCamra; 21-10-2011 at 09:29.
    A pub is for life not just for Christmas

Similar Threads

  1. a swift one - Rat Brewing Again
    By Blog Tracker in forum Blog Tracker
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 14-09-2011, 16:00
  2. The Romance of Brewing
    By PaulOfHorsham in forum Chit Chat
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 21-08-2010, 17:07
  3. What's Brewing closures
    By oldboots in forum That Doesn't Go There!
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 06-08-2010, 12:04
  4. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 01-07-2010, 16:40
  5. What's Brewing updates
    By oldboots in forum That Doesn't Go There!
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 02-03-2010, 16:56

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •