VF 35 Liv Tyler`s Undies 26/5/12

DARK ALE             26/5/12

Grain Bill    36%    7kg Ale
                    36%    7kg Pilsner
                    14%    2.65kg Caramunich II
                    4%      775g Chocolate
                    4%      775g Black Patent
                    2%      385g Rolled Oats
                    2%      385g Wheat
                    2%      385g Dark Crystal
               TOTAL  19.3kg
Mashed in with 70lts of 71degC water
Sparge with 45lts of 77degC water
HOPS   100g EKG @ 60min
             100g EKG @ 45min
             100g Cascade @ 20min
             100g Cascade @ 5min
TOTAL 400g

Final Volume -- 75lts             S G 1050
Separated into three fermenters and put,
1.5 lts 1469 West Yorshire Ale Wyeast with 25lts
1.5lts 1084 Irish Ale Wyeast with 25lts
 1272 American Ale II with 25lts

Hop Harvest!!

Hi Lovers of Great Beer!!
I thought I'd pop a little photo of a some fresh farm grown hops being hand picked by the family team. I think the boys will put this to good use in the brew of VF#34. I may have to sneak up the road and be apart of the wonder and amazement that is all grain brewing. By the wAy we picked a few kilos of cascade hops, no where near enough.... Speaking of which lets have another! G

VF 34 Pale Ale

VF 34 An easy drinking `Pale Ale` 13/3/12

Grain Bill. Wyeast 1272 American Ale II -- 3.5lts
18kg Ale Malt
2kg Wheat Malt
1kg Light Crystal
1kg Carapils
22kg total

Hop Additions
9am Mash in
9.20am Mash temp @ 58deg C, re-circulated for 5-10min to get to 66deg C
10am First runnings
Sparge with 80deg C water for 15 - 20min
10.20am In hot liquor tun
11.25am Boil, 600g fresh Cascade flowers from farm
11.40am 610g fresh Cascade flowers from farm
12.10pm 300g fresh Cascade flowers from farm
whirfloc tablet and yeast nutrient
put cooling coil in wort to sterilize and start a whirl pool with pump
12.25pm flameout 250g fresh Cascade flowers from farm
Dry hop with 500g Cascade flowers when racked

Start cooling with coil until 1.10pm wort at 38deg C
Pump into 2deg C fridge to cool to 20deg C before adding yeast

Put 130lt of water through brew, final volume of 81lts
SG 1044

Cascading cooch?!?

Hi Beer Makers,
After some ol'fashion TLC the row of Cascade now looks like it might yield a half decent crop. The recent hot weather has taken its toll and the chalky residue is from a little chalk dust type of sunscreen. Over the next month I will be tending to them and fending off the marording cooch grass, and making sure they get a decent daily drink. Speaking of which....

VF 33 A Hoppier Roger`s colour Ale

VF 33 6/11/11

Malt Bill

8kg Ale

8kg Pilsner

2kg Caramuich

1.5kg Light crystal

500g Biscuit

300g Chocolate

250g Wheat

250g Rolled Oats

150g Black

Total 20.95kg

1332 Northwest Ale Wyeast 3litres

Hops

100g Northern Brewer @ 60min

100g Northern Brewer @ 50min

50g Galaxy @ 30min

50g Galaxy @ 20min

100g Amarillo @ flameout

100g Amarillo for Dry Hopping when racking

Mashed in with 70lt of water @ 71deg C

Sparged in with 55lt of water @ 75deg C for 15min

Total water used 125lts

Pre Boil volume of 103lts

Final volume of 85lts

SG 1052

VF 32 Dark Ale

Grain

8kg Pale

8kg Pilsner

3kg Caramunich II

750g Chocolate

750g Black

500g Rolled Oats

500g Wheat

500g Dark Crystal

Total 22kg

1028 London Ale Wyeast 3lts

Hops

100g Chinook @ 60min

50g Galaxy @ 40min

50g Galaxy @ 20min

100g Cascade @ 5min

100g Cascade 0min - flameout

400g total - pellets

ps put 135lt of water through brew, 110lt of wort (pre boil) and ended up with 99lts of beer

time taken to cool brew down to 25C - 40min

Specific Gravity 1042

VF 31 Black IPA

VF 31 Black IPA 29/5/11

Malt Bill

8kg Pale Ale

8kg Pilsner

3kg Caramunich II

750g Chocolate

750g Black

500g Rolled Oats

500g Wheat

500g Dark Crystal

22kg total

Wyeast 1028 London

Mashed in with 80lt volume @ 72Deg C

Sparged with 65lt @ 80Deg C

Hops (home grown flowers)

@ 60 min added 510g Cascade and 1.3kg Chinook

@ 15 min added 1.39kg Cascade and half a Whirfloc tablet

@ flameout added 200g Cascade

total hops 3.4kg

Specific Gravity 1048

put 125lt of water through brew, 102lt volume before boil, ended up with 84lt of beer.

VF 31 Black IPA

VF 30 Harvest Ale / APA

VF 30 Harvest Ale / APA 9/4/11

Malt Bill

Pale Ale 17kg

Cara Pils 1kg

Light Crystal 400g

Flaked Barley 500g

Vienna 500g

Total 19.4kg

Wyeast 1272 American Ale II

Mash Volume 70lt @ 65Deg C

Sparge Volume 50lt @ 70-75Deg C for 10min max

Hops (home grown flowers, from Bordertown)

@ 60min added 850g Cascade Flowers

@ 30min added 660g Cascade Flowers

@ 5min added 270g Cascade Flowers and half Whirfloc Tablet

@ flemeout added 200g Cascade Flowers

Total Hops 1.98kg

Specific Gravity 1044

Put 120lt water through brew and ended up with 75lt of beer.

VF 29 American Pale Ale

VF 29 American Pale Ale 13/2/11 Malt Bill 18kg Pale Ale Malt 0.5kg Light Crystal 1.5kg Cara Pils 0.5kg Flaked Oats 0.5kg Vienna 21kg total Hops 200g Riwaka Flowers at the boil 60min 75g Amarillo @ 15min 25g Amarillo and 25g Cascade @ omin (flameout) Dry Hopped with 75g Amarillo Wyeast 1056 American Ale Original Gravity 1042 Final Gravity 1010 Alc Vol 4.9%

VF 28 Belgian Dubbel

Just before Christmas we wanted to brew something different, something special, so we decided to brew a 50lt batch of Belgian Dubbel. We bottled it in some 750ml Sparkling Wine bottles and it is currently cellaring down in the south east until such a time as we cannot help ourselves anymore. Should be a lovely winter warmer. Can`t wait!!!

Malt Bill

Pale Ale Malt 13.75kg 63%

Wheatmalt 1.25kg 6.4%

Aromatic Malt 1.30kg 6.7%

Caramunich 600g 3.4%

Caravienna (crystal) 600g 3.4%

Special B 600g 3.4%

Biscuit 600g 3.4%

Dark Candi Sugar 100g

Dried Plums 400g

Hop Schedule

120g Styrian Goldings the boil 60min

100g Dark Candi Sugar @ 50 min

100g Northern Brewer @ 25min

400g Dried Plums @ 5min

Wyeast 3787 Trappist High Gravity

Fermentation

Start at 18deg C for 5-7 days

Secondary (after racking) cold condition for 2 weeks at 2 deg C

Original Gravity 1056

Final Gravity 1012

Alc Vol 6.4%

Mad Hop Party!!

Vac'd packed hops from the orchard!

VF 28 Belgian Dubbel

Just before Christmas we wanted to brew something different, something special so we decided to brew a 50lt batch of Belian Dubbel. We bottled it in some 750ml sparkling wine bottles and it is currently cellaring down in the south east, until such time as we cannot help ourselves anymore. Should be lovely by the start of winter! Malt bill Pale Malt 13.75kg 63% Wheat Malt 1.25kg 6.4% Aromatic Malt 1.3kg 6.7% Caramunich 600g 3.4% Caravienna (crystal) 600g 3.4% Secial B 600g 3.4% Biscuit 600g 3.4% Dark Candi Sugar (syrup) 100g Dried Plums 400g Hop shedule Boil time 70 min At the boil -- 120g Styrian Goldings @ 70min 100g Dark Candi Sugar @ 60min 100g Northern Brewer @ 35min 400g Dried Plums @ 5min Wyeast 3787 Trappist High Gravity Fermentation: Start at 18deg C for 5 - 7 days Secondary: (after racking) cold condition for 2 weeks Original Gravity 1056 Final Gravity 1012 Alc /Vol 6.4%

VF Hop Garden Update!

While the fair headed men (Drew and Crispian) brewed a nifty APA on Saturday morning 30th October, i was pruning and training hop vines in the South East of South Australia.
I mild start to the spring has seen vigorous growth from the Columbus and new Cascade cuttings, the Chinook however has not taken off like it has in past years.
Not to worry - Cascade looks healthy - so APA freaks like us can rest easy knowing it handles the hot dry finish with style....

Before:

Healthy Columbus plants growing vigorously, about 5-10cm per day.

Cascade, you would not know that they were mostly first season cuttings...

VF Hop Garden update "Summer" Coming Soon....

VF# 27 American Pale Ale

Saturday 30th October 2010
Brewers Present: Drew Friebel & Crispian "Temp vs Time" Fielke

Malt
18kg Joe White Pale Ale
1.5kg Cara Pils
.5kg Light Crystal
.5kg Flaked Barley
.5kg Vienna

Total 21kg


Hops
200grams Galaxy @ 60 minutes
75grams Cascade @ 15 minutes
25grams Cascade and 25grams Amarillo @ Flameout
75grams Amarillo for dry hopping.


Yeast
WYEAST 1272 American Ale II

Method:
Flame on @ 6:38am 100L (inc 3ml of Phos Acid @85% Conc.)
Mashing @ 8:10am Strike Temp 67degC (80L)
Recirculating through water bath @80degC for 30mins (64>69degC)

20 minute Fly Sparge @ 9:20am @ 80degC
Boil @ 10:05am (60L)

Hop addition:
200gm Galaxy @ 60min
...
...
...

Immersion Cooling with Rain Water tank with pump:
Tank Water @ 17.5degC /Wort 100degC, 11:07am

Refer to Graph for cooling progress.......BEER NERD ALERT!!

Pitch Yeast @ 4pm @ approx 22degC
Original Gravity 1042
Volume in Fermenter: 84L
Extra Volume: 11L

Dry Hopped: 8th /11/2010
62gms Amarillo
56gms of Cascade
Specific Gravity ~1012

Chilled to 2degC
...

VF# 26 English Style Ale

Saturday 28/08/2010
This is our attempt at creating an English Pale Ale, caramel and toffee'd malt flavours with a  clean earthy bitterness. 


Malt:

18kg pale

2kg light crystal

1kg dark crystal

0.5kg Flaked Barley

21.5Kg

Hops:
200gm of EKG @ 60mins boiling 4.8%A.A.
50gm of EKG @ 30mins
100gm of Fuggles @ 10mins 4.2% A.A
50gm of Fuggles @ Flameout
400gm

Yeast:
1098 British Ale, Wyeast (4L started 4 days prior)

Schedule:
Start time: 6am Flame on.
100L + 5ml of Phosphoric Acid (85% conc.)
Dough in @ 7.45am
73degC strike temp, target temp 66degC
Mash volume: 75L
Sparge volume: 70L @75degC
Boil volume: 100L @ 9.55am
Immersion chill start @ 11am
Pump out to fermenter @ 12.05 (25degC)
Yeast pitched @ 1pm

Volume 80L
Initial gravity: 1046

Brewery Upgrades:
Below is a few photo's of the new kit installed and rolling for the VF.
A 100L cone bottomed fermenter mounted in an upright Kelvinator freezer. (Thanks to Dotti Campbell for the free - zer)
Hardware:  Stainless steel 1.5" skin fitting with 2 piece ball valve.

Hopefully the new setup saves racking time and kegging (and perhaps bottling) take a matter of minutes.  Generally larger volumes of beer mature more rapidly than smaller volumes, with luck and skill it will pump out quality booze for years to come.

Time for a bite while the immersion chill takes place, a continental snag with some rocket, lime, pepper and olive oil. Washed down with a White Rabbit Dark ale, a good session beer. No match for VF#25.

Here's the pitch!


Giles

VF Hop Garden Update!

A little work on the hop garden over the weekend, removing old growth, pulling weeds, mulching, and re-planting some cuttings.

A Chinook (we hope) hop plant taken from my back verandah pot and transplanted to the garden, hopefully bursting at the seams with fresh flowers this season!! Note the little purple tips are the new growth.

After: clean and ready to grow.... 14 plants in the ground! And some potted cuttings to kick the next season along!

G

VF # 25

Much Like VF#24, hopefully a well mannered dark ale with a vibrant toasty, roasty, choc topped goodness.


Malt:
8Kg Pale
8Kg Pilsner
3Kg Caramunich II
.75Kg Black Malt
0.75Kg Choc Malt
0.5Kg Oats (Rolled)
0.5Kg Wheat
Tot: 21.5kg
Hops:
200gm Fuggles @ 60min boil
100gm EKG @ 30 min boil
100gm Cascade @ 5 min boil


Yeast:
WYEAST: 1028 London (split into two batches, started to 4L + 4 cups of Light dried Malt)

Schedule:
I don't know yet.... but it will be about 6 hours long, with many laughs in between!
You should try brewing one day...

Here's how it went down....
8.30am adjust pH of 100L of tap water to 3.7 using 10ml of 85% Phos. acid.
Strike Vol: 65-70L
Strike Temp Aim: 66-68degC
Strike Temp 75degC
Actual Strike Vol: 75L
Ambient Temp: 11-13degC @ Dough in...
Mash for 1 Hour.

Sparge Temp 70degC
Sparge Vol: 55L
Sparge Length: 20-25min

First run off Vol: 50L
Sparge run off Vol: 50L
Boil Length: 1 Hr
Total Wort Vol (in fermenter): 80L
Original Gravity: 1046-1048

Lunch: Artisanal Pizza's of Spiced Lamb and Heirloom Tomatoes.

VF

The Wheaty turns Seven!!

Double hopped Lobethal bierhaus Ale, a Moo Dark Ale and birthday cupcake for good measure. Hops, roasted malt and small cakes.... Heaven! Giles

VF# 23 Lotsa Hops!!