brēowanthorpe

The Homestead of Beer

British Strong Ale

By thomas #Ale, #Barley, #Beer, #BIAB, #British, #British Strong Ale, #Homebrew, #Hops, #No-sparge, #one-gallon, #Rye, #Strong Ale, #Water, #Westfort, #Yeast

Codename : Strong Apethorpe Ale

With previous successes at improving my technique, and hitting the proper start gravity, I decided to try a British Strong Ale with a little more alcohol content.

Ingredients

  • 2 Lb 3 oz Maris Otter Malted Barley
  • 1 oz Roasted Barley (300L)
  • 1 oz Rye Malt
  • 1 oz Caramel Malt (120L)
  • 0.1 oz Cascade hops at 90 minutes
  • 0.1 oz Challenger hops at 60 minutes
  • 0.1 oz Challenger hops at 20 minutes
  • ¼ Whirlfloc tablet at 15 minutes (optional)
  • 4 ml Nottingham dry ale yeast

Anticipated IBU : 36
Anticipated ABV : 5.9%
Target OG : 1.060
Target FG : 1.015
(Attempted) Brewhouse (in)efficiency : 67%

  • Prepare 9.5L strike water, 154F.
  • Add the grains to the bag.
  • Calibrate sonic screwdriver. (I keep adding this as a reminder, as it did go out of alignment since last use)
  • Place the bag in the hot water, set the timer for 90 minutes, and maintain the temperature at 149 F. Looking for a minimum SG 1.029
  • Lift the bag out, allow it to drip into the pot. Capturing every bit of potential sugar is good.
  • Bring wort up to 212F to boil for 10 minutes, then bring down to 205-210 F.
  • Set the timer for 2 hours. Add hops and Whirlfloc at the prescribed time above.  Looking for a minimum SG 1.060
  • Sanitise everything required for fermentation.
  • Cool to room temp, an ice-bath or a snowbank work effectively
  • Prepare yeast mixture.
  • Add wort to the jug. Pitch yeast
  • Store in a cool place for primary fermentation for 14-21 days.

Bottling Day

  • Sanitise everything required for bottling.
  • Transfer from carboy to bottling pot.
  • Prepare 19g corn sugar with enough hot water to dissolve it. Add to pot.
  • Bottle.
  • Preferably conduct bottle conditioning for at least 2-4 weeks. 

Brew Notes

  • Pre-boil SG 1.029 was achieved by adding about 15 more minutes to the steep.
  • Post-boil SG 1.061 was achived by adding about 15 mores minutes to the boil.
  • I had gone rogue with my arrogance and just upped my brewhouse efficiency up to 67%, that is what possibly required the extra time. I will dial back to 66%.

Tasting notes

This has a good malty taste, nice finish. A little sweeter than I prefer, considering not enough finishing hops were used, this is to be expected.

Brew day : 15-Apr-2022
Bottling day : 29-Apr-2022

NFT : https://opensea.io/assets/matic/0x2953399124f0cbb46d2cbacd8a89cf0599974963/98547572266092688542004199927995955645241771819026625145362064312032080953345/