An attempt at a non-wine PR.

[JohnQ]

About a year ago, we noticed when we were in the states that Seagram's sells a "cooler" with a "Malt Liquor" base.

Since then I've been doing research on what makes up a decent Low Flavoured Malt Liquor.

I figure I need to be able to ferment at lager temps, so now that I have the internal chillers for the Brewhemoth, I can give it a try...

Here's what we brewed yesterday...

The ferment process is from Tasty McDole of the BN.

Actual OG was 1.071, I wasn't trying too hard come sparge time to hit anything, just did a batch sparge and got close.

If it works, I'll over carb it and cut it 50/50 with the juice when it gets transferred to serving kegs.

JQ

Recipe: PR Base 1   TYPE: All Grain
Style: Classic American Pilsner
---RECIPE SPECIFICATIONS-----------------------------------------------
SRM: 3.8 SRM      SRM RANGE: 3.0-6.0 SRM
IBU: 14.0 IBUs Tinseth   IBU RANGE: 25.0-40.0 IBUs
OG: 1.075 SG      OG RANGE: 1.044-1.060 SG
FG: 1.014 SG      FG RANGE: 1.010-1.015 SG
BU:GU: 0.188      Calories: 253.0 kcal/12oz   Est ABV: 8.0 %      
EE%: 72.00 %   Batch: 20.00 gal      Boil: 24.09 gal   BT: 90 Mins

---WATER CHEMISTRY ADDITIONS----------------


Total Grain Weight: 57 lbs   Total Hops: 1.50 oz oz.
---MASH/STEEP PROCESS------MASH PH:5.40 ------
>>>>>>>>>>-ADD WATER CHEMICALS BEFORE GRAINS!!<<<<<<<
Amt                   Name                                     Type          #        %/IBU         
20 lbs                Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)           Grain         1        35.1 %        
20 lbs                Pilsner (2 Row) UK (1.0 SRM)             Grain         2        35.1 %        
17 lbs                Corn, Flaked (1.3 SRM)                   Grain         3        29.8 %        


Name              Description                             Step Temperat Step Time     
Mash In           Add 72.25 qt of water at 158.9 F        148.0 F       75 min        

---SPARGE PROCESS---
>>>>>>>>>>-RECYCLE FIRST RUNNINGS & VERIFY GRAIN/MLT TEMPS: 72.0 F/72.0 F
>>>>>>>>>>-ADD BOIL CHEMICALS BEFORE FWH
Fly sparge with 13.12 gal water at 168.0 F

---BOIL PROCESS-----------------------------
Est Pre_Boil Gravity: 1.065 SG   Est OG: 1.075 SG
Amt                   Name                                     Type          #        %/IBU         
1.50 oz               Nugget Pellet [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min  Hop           4        14.0 IBUs     
1.00 Items            Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)        Fining        5        -             


---FERM PROCESS-----------------------------
Primary Start: 6/4/2013 - 
3 Days at 50.0 F
2 Days at 52.0 F
2 Days at 55.0 F
2 Days at 60.0 F
3 Days at 70.0 F

Will attempt  Crash in BH, if I can't get it cold enough, then I'll keg and crash in kegs for 2 days, then transfer back to a BH and carb.



[JohnQ]

This is coming along very nicely.
I have got the BH chiller nailed, it's keeping the ferment nice and cold.  It had been keeping it at 51F without trouble. I brought it up to 53F on day 4, yesterday it passed the 1/2 way mark so I increased the temp to 56F.
On day 7, it's down to 1.033 or about 5% ABV with 3% yet to come.  All the corn aroma is gone, it's super clean tasting, almost tasteless.
Will be bumping the temp again in a couple of days, then again 3 days after that to follow the Tasty McDole plan.
If it all works, it will be ready for blending with juice by next Wed in time for me to bring a sample to the next meeting at brew's.

JQ

[Chris Craig]

This will be interesting.  Can't wait to try it!

[JohnQ]

Gravity is down to 1.016 which equates to 7.2%, it's slowed right down, and with the basement at 65F, without applying heat I'm not going to get it to warm up to 72F. 
There are some nice light fruity esters that will go very nicely with the end use, so I think I'm going to give it one more day and try the cold crash. Hopefully it'll clear enough for a mix and carb before Saturday.

JQ

[Jake]

Looking forward to trying this out. My panties will be staying on fortunately

[JohnQ]

Did a trial run with yesterday's gravity sample, mixed 50% Base, 25% Apple, 25% Cranberry and carbed using the carbing cap to make up a 500 ml bottle of it.

Let it cold crash in the fridge, poured it for SWMBO... Approved.

Get up this morning, do another gravity sample ready to cold crash, it's dropped another 2 points (1.014 ... Now at 7.5% ABV) and there is airlock activity again.  Go Figure. The slow warm up must be waking something up in there. Guess I'll wait another day and see if I can actually get down to 1.010 from 1.071

JQ

[JohnQ]

This was sampled a bit at brew's place and seemed to be exactly what I was after.
It was a little bitter there from the suspended yeast still there, at home now, it's almost perfectly clear and much smoother!
I added some strawberry/cranberry to the clear stuff last night and a litre disappeared pretty quick.
I think it's a winner.

Now to up the grain bill to get 12% abv out of it instead of the 7.5% it's at now!

JQ