Present: Adam Walker, Allan Wade, Edwina, Andrew Rostas, Craig Grant, David Pontin, David Lamotte, Jodi McLean, Justin Samuels, Les Wever, Nigel Hayes, Phil Coleman, Stephen McLean, Steve Aebi, Brendan Clarke
Apologies: Rob Donaldson, Jake Rowland, Sam Walker
Foghorn
Thanks to Shawn and Foghorn for Hosting HUB
Thanks to those that RSVP'd 24hrs before the event. Sheet with those that RSVP’d was handed around for their beer selection. 14 in total.
Agenda for the night:
Shawn will provide a talk at around 6:45 about yeast and blending
Followed by a Q&A
Around 7:30 Brewery Tour / more Q&A
After 8 general convo.
Upcoming:
Next month we are back at Hamilton North Bowling Club
B&T is back on! Our involvement has been confirmed.
Same as last year - You be the Judge on Saturday, Style appreciation on the Sunday. NEIPA's, Sours and Pale Ales
List of entry requirements for members was in this months meeting invite
RSA - get it if you haven't got it yet
Next month we will have the "you be the judge" tasting. Bring a sample along, top 5 will go along to B&T - an addition 9L will be required (above the 19L)
Other
State Comp is 23/24th September - Bankstown NSW
Entries are open. Shipping available from 19/8 to 9/9
Stewarding / Judging registration is open
2 sessions each day - 9-12 and 1-4
October meeting is Smash+1 beers
Early November is B&T (4th & 5th)
November meeting is looking like it will be held at Grainfed
December Christmas party - looking like early in the month.
Other:
Thanks to those that have paid Club fees - for those that haven't they are now due - $60.
Details were in the last meeting invite or I have them here.
BSB: 650-000
Account Number: 509143303
Account Name: Hunter United Brewers
Tech Talk from Shawn Sherlock
Yeast Blending and Yeast Health
Mixing 2 strains - yes one will be the dominant strain
What you are looking for is the sum of the parts
Look for characteristics of each strain that you want in the final beer
Why mix strains?
Brew something unique and different
But still to a BJCP style
Foghorn only uses liquid yeast
Blending / thinking about yeast is the start of Shawn's beer development process
The question you need to ask is - what do I want out of this yeast strain?
Look at all the yeast varieties that commercial beer is using, and if you know of the yeast strain, ask yourself what is it that I like about this beer?
Foghorn use a yeast brink to culture up yeast from smack packs - they use 6 to 12 in a 150L vessel, using around 85L of wort for the starter.
This is pitched at Low Krausen - they want to catch it after a small drop in ph, and only a loss of 1 or 2 points in gravity. Anymore than this is ok, but they have found this timing to be optimal for yeast health
Foghorn re-pitch and stop after 7 generation/fermentations - they found the yeasts mutate too much after this and it affects their flavours
Cali IPA recipe:
100% pilsner malt
Layered hops
1 yeast strain
Used the Kolsh yeast
Know your pitching rates
Understand cell count
Understand how yeast strains can work together
How much Oxygen are you adding?
20mins at 3L/min for a 1800L
A little more for higher gravity beers - say 3.5L/min
Wort Aeration at home using a small aquarium pump is more than sufficient
Too much oxygen will stress the yeast, same as too little
O2 cylinders and carb stones are a great tool for homebrewers, but it’s very easy to overdo it.
If using multi-strain, all yeast is pitched at the start of the batch, not in series
For large Belgium beers, adding simple white / brown sugar that has been disolved in hot water 24hrs after pitching providing yeast has already kicked into gear. This reduces fusal alcohol notes in the beer.
(From Nigel) - Brewers challenge: Mix 2x packets of different yeast. Maybe come up with a 'standard' recipe?