Rakau Blonde Ale - "Good Head"

NEXT BREW: CO2 jar collection + make measurement stick

Blonde ale

• minimal caramel notes, so only enough Medium crystal to keep below 6 SRM (would have preferred Crystal 20oL if had this, or a toasty malt)
  
• trying out 5% CaraPils, as worried this beer may be too thin otherwise (head retention and mouthfeel)
  
  INITIAL PLAN: Temp profile as previously planned
  
• pitch at 17oC, ferment at 19oC
  
• 5 days at 19oC once has started to bubble, 5 days at 21oC (so long as reaches 50% of the 80% attenuation), then crash cool for 15 hours at each 5oC increment
  Keg into CO2 purged keg, via dip tube
  
  ACTUAL TEMP PROFILE:
  
• • pitch at 17oC, ferment at 19oC
    
• 5 days at 19oC once has started to bubble, 5 days at 21oC (so long as reaches 50% of the 80% attenuation), then crash cool for 15 hours at each 5oC increment
  Keg into CO2 purged keg, via dip tube
  Change to 23.5 as rest temp based on this: https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/ideal-fermentation-temp-for-safale-us-05.39971/ and this https://www.williamsbrewing.com/pdfs/y11.pdf
  
• Recommended fermentation temperature: 15C – 24C (59-75F).
  
• choose 23.5 with 0.5 hysteresis to avoid going well above 24
  
  Preparation:
  
• Sanitise 3 small bowls, measure out the three hop additions
  
• Sanitise air pump/stone
  
• Measure out steeping grains - Dextrin Malt and Crystal Malt in separate grain bags, store in large bowl so dust doesn't get anywhere
  --- May not need the Dextrin malt for head retention, but won't hurt
  
• Make up half fermenting bucket of StarSan, sanitise spoon, siphon, airlock, other fermentation bucket
  
• Match up lid sizes
  
• Sanitise temperature probe
  
• Attach thermometer to boil pot
  
• Set timers
  
  
  1. Aim for pre-boil of 27L - hence add 24L cold water to FERMENTER, add half a crushed Campden tablet to dechlorinate (? need slightly more than this for 24L?), dissolve the 3kg DME in FERMENTER and top up to 27L if not quite there. THEN DUMP INTO BOIL POT.
     
     
  2. Add first hop addition for FWH, then bring up to 65-75oC for grain steeping, add steeping grains, steep for 30 mins, remove and let drip but DON'T SQUEEZE
     
     
  3. Bring pot to boil, start timer, boil for 45 mins on timer, then add second hop addition when only 15 mins remaining
     
     
  4. Rehydrate yeast approx 30 mins prior to pitch, stirred after 15 mins (will be creamy). Swirl up again just before pitching.
     
     
  5. Add Koppafloc 1g (per 23 - 25L) for last 10 mins of boil
     
     
  6. Flameout at 60 mins, cool to <76.7oC, add last hop addition and stir then place lid on for 30 mins
     
     
  7. Cool to 17oC, siphon from pot to fermenter, can splash through sanitised strainer OR siphon in directly, then AERATE WITH SANITISED AIR PUMP
     
     
  8. Pitch yeast, place lid on, add sanitised temp probe and air lock
     
     
  9. Take sample for OG
     
     
  10. Ferment at 19oC until starts bubbling, then set this for 5 days. Then ramp up to 21oC for further 5 days (conditioning), then crash cool by 5oC every 15 hours to get to 1oC, and keep here for 24 - 48 hours
      
      
  11. Add gelatin to keg. As per Palmer's book, 0.3g/L gelatin (half tsp = 5g and this is what is used for brulosophy per 21L), added to 75mL water (StarSan to glass jug), 7s bursts in microwave, stir with thermometer until dissolved at 65oC
      
      
  12. Burst CO2 into keg via beer in (dip tube). Burp via PRV until can smell CO2. Attach ball lock to end of auto-siphon
      
      
      "A “classic” American pale ale grain bill is roughly 90% pale malt with the rest being crystal malt in the 30–40 °L range. This is the grain bill for homebrew Sierra Nevada clones and is a good starting point for any American pale ale. Most fall in the 12–14 °Plato range (OG 1.048–1.056), and have alcohol contents in the 5–5.5% range. Of course, some fall outside this range, too. (The BJCP gives the range as OG 1.045–1.060, with 4.5–6.2% as the ABV range.)"
      
      "Briess Carapils® have sometimes been confused with being a light caramel malt. However, while Briess Carapils® kernels exhibit a glassy character from the starch that has been converted to dextrines and then dried, it is not a caramel malt.
      
      Rather, Briess Carapils® Malt falls into the category of dextrine malts and is intended to improve body, mouthfeel and head retention by adding resistant dextrines, proteins, non-starch polysac-charides , and other substances to the wort and beer. Because of the crafted design, Briess Carapils® is very effective in this regard and is intended to be used at 2-3% to show a positive effect." - http://blog.brewingwithbriess.com/understanding-carapils/
      
      Crystal Malt:
      "Pale ales, bitters or ESBs may contain up to 20 percent crystal malt."
      
• aiming 10% with this brew (if was doing APA, though have changed to Blonde)
  Consider 10% Crystal Malt (max for pale ales is 20%, otherwise very sweet)
  
  2-3% carapils as steep (?) for head retention
  
• Briess website says up to 5% Carapils: increases foam, improves head retention and enhances mouthfeel without adding flavor or color to your beer - http://www.brewingwithbriess.com/Products/Carapils.htm
  
  https://www.brewersfriend.com/forum/threads/head-head-retention.1433/