Blobservatory Bitter

[JamesF]

Having spent so much time over the last *mumble* months building the observatory, my brewery (which stands right next door) has been sadly neglected.  We have even reached  the scandalous situation where my wife has occasionally had to actually buy beer from real shops!

Yesterday I finally got around to getting in there and having a bit of a tidy up.  As I posted my first proper image from the observatory this morning (albeit not a great one) I decided that today I should brew a beer to celebrate the observatory becoming properly functional.  My choice of ingredients was a bit limited on the spur of the moment, but in the freezer I found some Challenger hops (who doesn't keep hops in their freezer?) which seemed suitably space-themed to me, so that was where I started.

I ground a mix of pale, crystal and black malt (about seven and a half kilos in total -- I'd forgotten how hard that is by hand)

Because I should consider my health, I added half a kilo of cornflakes

(not really, but it is flaked maize) and set it all up to mash in about 20 litres of water at 66C

An hour and a half later everything was rinsed through with another 25l of water to try to extract the last of the sugars

And into the boiler it went, with the first batch of hops

It takes a fair while to get 45l of water up to a boil even with two 2.4kW kettle elements, but it got there eventually and after another hour and a half I drew off the wort to leave to cool and got cleaned up.  Sadly I don't have a chiller to drop the temperature down to room temperature straight after the boil.

I'm just about to nip back out to wake some yeast up, and tomorrow I'll measure the gravity and put it all in the fermentation cabinet for about ten days to a couple of weeks.  Then I can bottle it and perhaps it should be ready to taste by the autumn equinox.

If it goes well I think space-related brews could become a bit of a theme.  It's tempting to make an 80/- style bitter so I can kick back and watch a Space-X launch with a pint of "Falcon Heavy" 

There are a number of other hops with space-related names, too.  Galaxy is one, and I think Aurora too.  I'm definitely seeing the beginnings of a plan here...

James

Edited August 11, 2019 by JamesF

[maw lod qan]

Oh, another man after my own heart!

I made some wine for a while. Had a BlackBerry turn out fair. But lately, my tastebuds have changed.

When my oldest grandsons asked Papa wa cha drinking? I reply, when they retired the Space Shuttles, they were left with lots of left over Rocket Fuel! 😎

Now, if I can figure out how to color it blue, I could call it Romulan Ale.

Like Dr. McCoy told James T. Kirk, I use it only for medicinal purposes!

[JamesF]

Actually, perhaps one of our Scottish members could clarify:  is it generally the case that 80/- is "heavy", or is that 70/-?  Or is there no general consensus?  I had it in my head that it was the former, but I can't find the reference now.

James

[laudropb]

Both would be called heavy ales. 

[maw lod qan]

Microbrewing (and distilling) has become a big hit across the pond. A customer came in where I work last year, inquiring about an order he had placed with the grocery department manager.

It was 400 40oz cans of pumpkin pie filling. I joked, what are you doing with all these pies?

He laughed, I own a microbrewery and we're making a seasonal beer. Pumpkin!

[JamesF]

Gives me a bit more room for experimentation with the recipe then :)

James

[maw lod qan]

How much sugar is in rhubarb?

[maw lod qan]

6 minutes ago, laudropb said:

Both would be called heavy ales. 

Are we discussing percentage or proof?

[JamesF]

Just now, maw lod qan said:

Are we discussing percentage or proof?

In the UK it would generally be percentage alcohol by volume.

James

[JamesF]

3 minutes ago, maw lod qan said:

How much sugar is in rhubarb?

Very little.  In pretty much anything you cook with it?  Loads

James

[laudropb]

The  names refer to the duty paid for each which was directly linked to the proof. Others beers were called light beers, probably the equivalent of mild beers in England.

Edited August 11, 2019 by laudropb

[JamesF]

Oh, it's just struck me that there may be a miscommunication here

"80/-" is how "eighty shillings" would have been written (eighty shillings and no pence, effectively).  That was the price per hogshead (54 UK gallons) for the beer.  Generally the price increased as the alcohol content went up, so "70/-" has a lower alcohol content than "80/-" and so on.  I don't think that there were distinct bands for each price though, so a 4.5% ABV beer could either be 70/- or 80/-, for instance.  I may be wrong about that however.  The naming of beers in this way is particular to Scotland as far as I'm aware.

James

[JamesF]

Regardless, I like the idea of creating an 80/- style "heavy" beer called "Falcon Heavy"

James

[maw lod qan]

Now I've got what you were meaning. Most of our beers are low proof. I've heard of the beer made for the soldiers in Vietnam being 2%, or just 4 proof.

The term "proof" comes from the old practice of pouring a drink into black powder. It had to be over 80 proof or better to still let the powder flash, there by showing it's proof.

[JamesF]

Looks as though it is fermenting nicely now:

James

[FenlandPaul]

Amazing! Two of my favourite things brought together in one thread! 👍 🔭 🍺 

[Paul M]

On 11/08/2019 at 23:28, JamesF said:

Regardless, I like the idea of creating an 80/- style "heavy" beer called "Falcon Heavy"

James

Great, When's launch date?

And do the empties return themselves?

[Alan White]

1 hour ago, Paul M said:

Great, When's launch date?

And do the empties return themselves?

Not in the early versions, but it will improve with practice......

[JamesF]

To finish off this thread, it being equinox weekend, I have finally sampled the end product.  Making beer is not an impatient man's game

A pint of "Blobservatory Bitter"...

That looks a little red compared with the actual beer to me.  It's more of a dark honey colour, I'd say.

And by coincidence, this afternoon I spent a while bottling my "Falcon Heavy" brew.  I reckon that should be about ready by mid-October.

James

[Alan White]

Looks very fine indeed James.

One question, do you always drink in bed?
Looks just like my childhood sheets!

[JamesF]

On 25/09/2019 at 07:57, Alan White said:

do you always drink in bed?

Only before I get up.

James

[Marvin Jenkins]

If it’s a bit red in colour could you not process it in photoshop or use filters for the picture.

[JamesF]

9 hours ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

If it’s a bit red in colour could you not process it in photoshop or use filters for the picture.

I decided that was a bit overkill for a picture of a pint of beer

James

[Marvin Jenkins]

Perhaps try stacking. Ten of those would be just the trick on a Saturday night.

[barkis]

Just ready in time for a crate or two for the guys at Lucksall, who would be delighted
to sample your creation James. Ah! but perhaps you are not going to the November gathering.
Looks very lip smacking though.
Ron.