Fresh wort cubes!

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

^ Thanks for the clarity

EDIT: or is that Clarification

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

Hey all

Toxxyc, first off, well done for getting to market first on this one! It took us (at Bevplus) quite a while to develop ours. Not as easy as it seems, and we are still tweaking it! But pretty stoked with what we've come up with.

Thanks everyone for the comments. I totally see all the confusion and will do what we can to rectify it (I just updated the description a couple of minutes ago). Our kit is actually hopped and I have added a description of the grains. Our next batch is going to be slightly different. Don't want to hijack the thread, but just thought I'd add some clarity.

i don't spot that description ?

[Stefan Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Stefan]

Weird, it didn't save. Just added it again.

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

Weird, it didn't save. Just added it again.

Ok noted.

That's quite a large amount of specialty malt added to each recipe? eg 2Kg Caramunich 1 in the Eng Stout as an example ??

[Stefan Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Stefan]

Sorry, wires got crossed. Making a new one and will upload later. Eish. Far too much going on at once!

[Langchop Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Langchop]

IMG_20200725_172501.jpg

Okay, so I bottled my Lazy Hunter Vienna Lager Wort Kit on Saturday. It dropped down to a low 1.006, crisp finish as promised, so I am expecting a nice crisp and refreshing 'lager', apart from my bungles... let me explain...

Going with something I trust and know I just used US05 [Also based on what I have available in current times]. Somehow in my mind I had that 18 deg was a good temp for US05 to ferment at so I had the cube sitting in my chamber for a few days at that temp. I dry pitched a sachet of yeast (maintaining my lazy approach to this experiment), and put it back in the chamber at 18 deg. A very slow, if not negligible, start to the ferment led me to regoogle US05 temps. Schme, I should have set it at about 22, so a day and a half later I then corrected that and things slowly started to kick off. I forget that I usually have the wort somewhat warm when adding yeast and then cooling it a few degrees to nominal temps. Anyway, that was completely my bungling.

Following which, the vent cap showing increasing signs of active fermentation. At its peak it reminded me of those old whistle kettles. Not quite as loud, but as nice a sound to hear as the traditional gurgling bubbler.

As mentioned previously, I separated about 3L into a glass jar for sideline experimenting. Two days before bottling I added some columbus hops to this jar. [Again, based on just what I have available in current times]. The amount I added was a very exact and precise 1x 'gooi maar'. I think a bit heavy handed, but hey its an experiment.

So back to the wort/ beer/ bottling....
I did decant into a bottling bucket first and then batch primed with 115g cane sugar for what I estimated at being about 19L remaining in the cube. Clean flavour and a hint of the malt. More maltiness is notable in the aroma than the flavour at this stage, and quite pleasant.

Cant really say much more at this stage, except for patiently waiting for the bottle conditioning and carbonating. I am one of those who believe you can 'lager' in a bottle and that ' lagering' an ale will also have some influence, so with this batch I want to do exactly that. I will probably give it a couple of weeks to carbonate, and then move them to chilled storage. I am really looking forward to these!

All in all, it was satisfying having more beer than I typically have, and the bottling was actually more enjoyable knowing it wasnt an extension of a previous long brew day. It was also pretty weird using a 'fermenter' again after so many years of not using one!
There is a sense of peace of mind having a wort batch that is pretty much how I would have made it myself, knowing that Im not likely to have that kit-n-kilo twang I remember from my first brews. Also for me its a win knowing the brewer, and knowing that he researches, learns and questions everything to deliver a top quality product.

So far, highly recommended...

More to follow


PS. on the 3L jar of wort that I added Columbus:. Very pungent fruity, citrussy aromas. I got 4.5 bottles out of that. Calling them Viennese IPA, because of reasons. I think they will be nice, albeit a bastardisation of what the Vienna Lager was intended to be

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

nice update.

PS: I've always fermented US05 @ about 19ºC (Even as low as 16)... weird it would struggle at 18 as that is still well within range ?

[Langchop Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Langchop]

nice update.

PS: I've always fermented US05 @ about 19ºC (Even as low as 16)... weird it would struggle at 18 as that is still well within range ?

Dunno. I think 19 is my typical chamber temp, but the wort almost always starts at around 23 and then the yeasty bugs go at it much more happily. Also possible the yeast has gotten damaged in my fridge that somedays just decides it would rather be a deep freeze for the day.

Edit: just took a look at the data sheet. I don't actually remember dry pitching being more complex than just tossing it in. It does say 20 deg min, so maybe just lack of bug happiness?
Screenshot_20200727_210157.jpg

[PaBz0r Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PaBz0r]

I also had a cooler pitch on Sunday, around 17, it has only started to sound good this morning. The other batches started quicker but was just a tad over 20 when pitched, so yes it seems like it is a bit sensitive..

[Rocket-Boy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rocket-Boy]

Hey all

Toxxyc, first off, well done for getting to market first on this one! It took us (at Bevplus) quite a while to develop ours. Not as easy as it seems, and we are still tweaking it! But pretty stoked with what we've come up with.

Thanks everyone for the comments. I totally see all the confusion and will do what we can to rectify it (I just updated the description a couple of minutes ago). Our kit is actually hopped and I have added a description of the grains. Our next batch is going to be slightly different. Don't want to hijack the thread, but just thought I'd add some clarity.

If homebrewing develops following the lockdown then Im sure its fairly likely most suppliers will be selling some form of wort as is the case in Australia.
Was there a problem with calculating the original pricing? I see its gone up by just over R100 since yesterday.

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

Dunno. I think 19 is my typical chamber temp, but the wort almost always starts at around 23 and then the yeasty bugs go at it much more happily. Also possible the yeast has gotten damaged in my fridge that somedays just decides it would rather be a deep freeze for the day.

Edit: just took a look at the data sheet. I don't actually remember dry pitching being more complex than just tossing it in. It does say 20 deg min, so maybe just lack of bug happiness?
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I used to buy dry yeast in bulk and always stored them in the freezer for months to over a year ... never had problems, so freezing it should not be your problem there.

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

If homebrewing develops following the lockdown then Im sure its fairly likely most suppliers will be selling some form of wort as is the case in Australia.
Was there a problem with calculating the original pricing? I see its gone up by just over R100 since yesterday.

There's 3 different versions now ?

[Toxxyc Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Toxxyc]

Mine's still the same price, my dudes. Professionally made ATE into my profits like mad, but it's a sacrifice I've made to keep customers happy. Doesn't have to be diluted - it's simply pour-and-pitch and you're pretty much guaranteed to get a GREAT beer. No diluting, guessing or anything. I even supply the yeast :P

[groenspookasem Banned Find all posts View Profile Close groenspookasem]

Yeah, that water dilution into "ready" wort isn't something I'd do without pause to ponder the introduction of unboiled organisms

[JIGSAW Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JIGSAW]

Toxxyc has seen this, but for those that don't know, a couple of other breweries is now also selling wort ... some seems to be pre-boiled ....

Exactly as i predicted


https://brewmistress.co.za/the-easie...-beer-at-home/