| Hey Brewers - what are you drinking? and what are you brewing? Welcome to our March 2017 BeerCo Brewing News. Well #FebFast flew by Fast! And what a lot of exciting things happened and of considerable note for me was the thrill of seeing and meeting so many awesome growers and brewers and hanging out with the team and the Michael family at Gladfield Malt to celebrate another amazing milestone in their growth journey with the official opening of Gladfield malt new malt plant on Gladfield Farm & Maltings in Dunsandel, Canterbury, NZ. We @BeerCoAU are thrilled to have such a wonderful supply partner in Gladfield Malt and the quality of their plump fresh friable clean consistent malt and the passion of the family and all the team at Gladfield Malt and their wonderful growers and customers is what keeps us bouncing out of the mash tun every morning.
This month is another bumper issue where we talk about Gladfield Mild Peat Smoked Malt, Mandarina Bavaria GR Hops, GigaYeast Berliner Blend GB122, Grainfather Connect All Grain Electric Brewery and Mead Making and Honey so please read on for the BeerCo Brewing News…and remember to keep on brewing happy...together we can all rid this world of beer poverty...one good brew at a time... |
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Gladfield Mild Peat Smoked Malt is produced in the same manner as Gladfield Pilsner Malt, up until the point of drying, at which stage Southland Peat is introduced to provide the smokey aromas and flavours, which are most widely used in distilling, but are also used added in certain beer styles to provide a smokey flavour and/or aroma.
Gladfield Mild Peat Smoked Malt is made from the wonderful Gladfield Distillers Malt which is smoked in-house in the Gladfield Malt Smoker using 100% New Zealand Peat sourced from the deep south of the South Island, New Zealand. The resulting Mild Peat Smoked malt is infused with a traditional mild, soft earthy flavour with phenol's between 3 – 5 ppm.
Gladfield Mild Peat Smoked Malt is primarily suited for making high quality craft single malt whisky but is also great when used to add depth and flavour to Scottish ales like a wee heavy or darker malt forward beers. Now is the time to be putting down your winter warmers so reach out for some Gladfield Mild Peat Smoked Malt next time you are in the shop!
Technical Specification:
- Moisture (%) Max < 5
- Extract (dry) Range 81%
- Wort Colour Range EBC 3.2 - 4
- Typical Colour 3.8
Usage:
- Distilling - Peated Whisky
- Brewing - styles include Marzenbier, Porter, Scottish and Dark Ales and Smoked Bock
Complementary Brewing Malts:
Complementary Distilling Malts:
Gladfield Mild Peat Smoked Malt is also available through our BeerCo retail partners - ask for it by name next time you call into your local homebrew shop! |
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Daughter of Cascade (USDA), Hallertau Blanc and Hüll Melon, Mandarina Bavaria originated in Hüll, Germany and was released to the brewing masses in 2012. Due to Mandarina Bavaria aroma and taste characteristics she has been classified as a ”Flavor Hop“.
Mandarina Bavaria has a pleasantly fruity aroma revealing a strong tangerine note with slightly sweet aroma impressions. It is useful for both flavor and aroma and imparts slightly sweet notes of tangerine and citrus, especially when used for dry hopping.
Aroma:
- Fruity
- Tangerine note
- Citrussy
- Slightly sweet impression
General Trade Perception:
Displays a pleasant fruitiness in finished beers. Mandarina Bavaria is suitable for the use in top- and bottom-fermenting beer. The unique character can be individually adjusted to existing beer flavor profile. Mandarina Bavaria – brewed beers demonstrated high quality of bitterness and most notably an upgrade of flavor profile of these brews. The special aroma notes of Mandarina Bavaria can be carried over from hops to finished beer when dry-hopping technique is applied.
Style Guidance:
Mandarina Bavaria is a versatile higher alpha hop that can be used for a variety of styles including:
- Belgian Ale
- French Ale
- IPA
- Hoppy Pilsners
Possible Substitutions:
BREWING VALUES
ACID/OIL RANGE LOW HIGH
ALPHA ACID 7-10% 0 20 (mid)
BETA ACID 5-6.5% 0 15 (med/low)
TOTAL OIL 2.1-2.3 mL/100g 0 4 (med/high)
Mandarina Bavaria GR Hops are available in the shop in the following packs and sizes in T90 Hop Pellets:
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Author: Amelia McCullough at GigaYeast Editor: Dermott Dowling at BeerCo
Berliner Weisse is a style gaining rapid traction downunder in AU and rightly so for its thirst quenching quality and appropriate to our warm summer climes. Low in alcohol and refreshingly tart, and often served with a flavored syrup like Woodruff or raspberry, this German-style wheat ale presents a harmony between yeast and lactic acid. These beers are very pale in color, and may be cloudy as they are often unfiltered. Hops are not a feature of this style, but these beers often do showcase esters. Traditional versions often showcase Brettanomyces yeast. Growing in popularity in the U.S. and here in AU, where many brewers are now adding traditional and exotic fruits to the recipe, resulting in flavorful finishes with striking, colorful hues. These beers are incredible when pairing. Bitterness, alcohol and residual sugar are very low, allowing the beer’s acidity, white bread and graham cracker malt flavors to shine. Carbonation is very high, adding to the refreshment factor this style delivers. Many examples of this style contain no hops and thus no bitterness at all.
$14.95 Incl. GST
GigaYeast Berliner Blend GB122 is a blend of neutral ale yeast and lactic acid bacteria. Use GB122 Berliner Blend GigaYeast directly in a primary fermentation to make a crisp, sour beer!
Sour with subtle ester character. GB122 Berliner Blend GigaYeast creates the classic Berliner Weisse style – sour with a hint of hops and malt.
Apparent Attenuation:
ABV
Final Ph:
- 3.4 (100X acidification)
1.2% lactic acid W/V
General Notes & Brewing Guidance:
Lactic Acid Bacteria are inhibited by hops, high gravity and low temperatures.
You can adjust sourness by increasing or decreasing these variables.
More than 7 IBU, gravity above 1050 or temps below 65 F will increase the time to sour or lead to reduced overall souring.
Warmer fermentation temps will typically increase the esters and spicy phenolics of the saison ale yeast in this blend.
Berliner Weisse BJCP Style Guidelines 23A:
History:
A regional specialty of Berlin; referred to by Napoleon’s troops in 1809 as “the Champagne of the North” due to its lively and elegant character. At one point, it was smoked and there used to be Märzen-strength (14 °P) version. Increasingly rare in German, but some American and Australian craft breweries now regularly produce the style.
Overall Impression:
A very pale, refreshing, low-alcohol German wheat beer with a clean lactic sourness and a very high carbonation level. A light bread dough malt flavor supports the sourness, which shouldn’t seem artificial. Any Brettanomyces funk is restrained.
Characteristic Ingredients:
Wheat malt content is typically 50% of the grist (as is tradition with all German wheat beers) with the remainder typically being Pilsner malt. A symbiotic fermentation with top-fermenting yeast and Lactobacillus (various strains) provides the sharp sourness, which may be enhanced by blending of beers of different ages during fermentation and by extended cool aging. Hop bitterness is non-existent. Decoction mashing with mash hopping is traditional. German brewing scientists believe that Brettanomyces is essential to get the correct flavor profile, but this character is never strong.
Style Comparison: Compared to a lambic, is generally not as acidic and has a clean lactic sourness with restrained to below sensory threshold funk. Also lower in alcohol content.
Vital Statistics:
- OG: 1.028 – 1.032
- FG: 1.003 – 1.006
- IBUs: 3 – 8
- SRM: 2 – 3
- ABV: 2.8 – 3.8%
Commercial Examples:
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$1,350 Incl. GST (FREE SHIPPING ACROSS AU and we will throw in a BeerCo Recipe Kit of your choosing valued at over $50++ per Kit)
   
What can we say that has not already been said or known about this wonderful all in one vessel all grain electric brewing machine - the Grainfather! As craft beer grows and drinkers savour the flavour responsibly curiosity grows. Could I brew great beer at home? What do I need to get the freshness of an all grain flavourful hoppy beer with fresh liquid yeast? How can I make a beer as good if not better than the probrewer? Well the answer is steering you right in the face. With the miniaturization of Stainless Steel appliances it was only a matter of time until someone made a great all-grain single vessel electric brewery that every man and women with an iPhone or a Computer and the interest to read can learn how to use. Need any more convincing to jump into all-grain brewing? Jump onto The Facebook and find the Grainfather Users Group: Ask the 6000+ crazy all grain Grainfather brewers from all around the world what they think of their Grainfather? Be prepared to be overwhelmed with helpful feedback and welcome to the all grain brewing community.
The Grainfather, is your all in one electric brewing system, to make beer from grain. The sleek look, user friendly, intuitive design, and innovative features, make this your perfect brewing companion for both experienced and beginner all grain brewers. It is made from high quality 304 grade stainless steel with a 30 L capacity, designed to make up to 23 L of beer from one brew.
Features
The Grainfather is electrically powered and designed to be used indoors. No need for burners, or hot plates, just plug in and go! It is fitted with a dual element so that the correct power can be used depending on what stage of the brewing process you are at. A 500 watt element is used in certain stages to minimize risk of scorching and when a gentler heat is required. A second 2,000 watt element is used to ramp quickly up to boil after the mash and when more vigorous heating is required. The Grainfather cleverly switches between the two as necessary. Heating from mash to boil takes as little as 20 minutes.
- Control Box for Heat & Power Control
Use the Connect Control Box in conjunction with the Connect App (and the recipe creator coming soon) for the ultimate brewing experience. The control box has Bluetooth connection to your mobile device so it can be controlled remotely. This allows you to multitask or simply relax while brewing and then be alerted when to return to your next step.
Features:
- PID algorithm works in conjunction with a triac for more stable heating and so you can control power output
- Programmable step mashing
- Delayed heating – fill your Grainfather with water the night before and wake up to your water at strike temperature ready for brewing straight away
- Change between celsius and fahrenheit easily
- Waterproof graphic display
- Use in manual mode or with app
Pump
A 6 Watt, 1,800 RPM magnetic powered pump has been fitted to recirculate the wort through the grain bed for maximum brewing efficiency. This is also used during the cooling stage to pump hot wort through the wort chiller. The pump also makes the cleaning process quick and easy by pumping the cleaning detergent through all the pipe work. The magnetic drive pump has been selected after rigorous testing of multiple pump styles to ensure it meets the tough demands required of continuous brewing. The pump is concealed by a stainless pump cover, which is easy to pop open, giving you direct access. A pump filter is fitted inside the Grainfather to prevent hops and stray grain from entering the pump or pipework, keeping the wort clear while also preventing any blockages.
Grain Basket
A stainless steel expandable grain basket allows you to brew with anything from 4.5 – 9 kg of grain. The fitted perforated plates and telescopic pipework allow you to easily adjust the size of the grain basket to suit the size of grain bill. Fit the Micro Pipework (sold separately) for grain bills below 4.5 kg. When ready for sparging, a basket lifting handle is then inserted into the grain basket to lift it up, out of the wort. A 45 degree turn then allows the grain basket’s feet to rest on the specially designed support ring to allow the grain basket to drain while you can batch sparge over the top. A Sparge Water Heater can be purchased additionally to heat your water to the specific temperature required.
Counter Flow Wort Chiller
A counter flow wort chiller has two connection points. One side is connected to the Grainfather, while the other is connected to the cold tap water. The hot wort is then pumped through copper inner coil while the cold water is pumped through the outer in the opposite direction, providing instant cooling and heat exchange. The cooled wort can then be pumped directly into your clean, sterile fermenter. This reduces the chance of contamination as nothing is inserted in the wort, and it is only passing through the wort chiller one single time, going straight to the sterile fermenter where the yeast is added. 23 L of wort can be cooled in as little as 20 minutes. The cooled wort temperature will be cooled to approximately 5 degrees above whatever your tap water temperature is.
Support
The Grainfather is fully supported around the world by a fantastic support team who love brewing just as much as you do. The Grainfather support team are there for any technical enquiries on brewing or how the Grainfather works, as well as general customer service enquirers.
All Grainfathers come with a full 12 month manufacturers warranty. Grainfathers purchased directly from the BeerCo website also come with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. This means, if you are not fully satisfied with the Grainfather you are welcome to return it within 30 days for a full refund.
PLEASE NOTE: All Grainfathers contain a yellow packaging strip in the boiler. This should be discarded before you begin brewing.
What’s Included in the Box?
- Grainfather
- Counter Flow Wort Chiller
Specifications:
- 304 Grade stainless steel body
- 220 – 240V
- 30 L Capacity
- Expandable grain basket to suit grain bills up to 9 kg
- A robust magnetic drive pump (6 watt, 1800 RPM)
- Counter flow wort chiller which can cool wort to less than 20°C within approx 20-30 minutes.
- Tempered glass lid for maximum durability, heating efficiencies and visibility during your brew day.
- Clips to easily convert your Grainfather into a home distillery with the Pot Still Attachments
Required Specs for App:
iPhone/iPad
Hardware: iPhone 4S or higher
Software: iOS8 or higher. Must have Bluetooth 4.0 or higher
Android (Currently in development, temporary version available)
Hardware: Android 4.3 (API Level 18) or higher
Software: Must have Bluetooh Low Energy (LE)/Bluetooth Smart
Instructions:
click here: Grainfather Connect Instructions
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At BeerCO HQ we love to brew and drink beer with flavour and enjoy and savour responsibly. We appreciate that not everyone loves a beer and having had the pleasure of attending anhc4 and meeting Michael Fairbrother from Moonlight Meadery and tasting his wonderful Mead we thought enough is enough! It is time we shared our love of alchemy with our better half and brew a wonderful mead - a drink as ancient as Egypt and a super fine drop as well we might add...and say it ain't so...this is what happened next...
"Honey Pie! Katie Pie! Would you like some Meth? Yeah, meth darling? No no no not that stuff, yeah oh yeah, I know it burns your brains and your teeth fall out. No this is Metheglin darling…what yes…metheglin darling…it's mead…all natural honey made with honey and apple juice and spiced with vanilla and cinnamon. Sound good darling? Right, leave it to me…" time to make some mead…get my mead on…get meading…thanks Michael Fairbrother @moonlightmeadery for the tips on how to make a mead.
Daniel @Calibre Dermott @BeerCoAU Michael @MoonlightMeadery and Ryan at GABS 2016 enjoying some of Michael's wonderful Mead
So you are now asking why are we talking Mead at BeerCo eh? Well we like you love to savor the flavour and enjoy responsibly from a wide range of alchemy and to make a mead is actually an easy process and a great entry to brewing. Simple take 1 part Honey and add 3 parts water or juice pitch some Yeast and nutrients and ferment and bottle and wait a while - vola your an alchemist! Or a Mead Maker.
In order to make great Mead you need great Honey so we did some trade and exchange and signed a deal on a handshake with a great 4th generation family owned beekeeping family - Archibald's Honey - here is a picture of me giving Stuart Archibald - 4th generation honey wrangler a bottle of Katie Pie Metheglin - Vanilla and Cinnamon Spiced Apple Mead in exchange for a tub of Stuart's fantastic Orange Blossom Honey - a vital ingredient in any great Mead!
What we at BeerCo love about Stuart and the Archibald Honey family is they share the same values as us. They look after their bees and beekeepers, take no short cuts, use minimal processing and make the best damn honey in the world or at least this part of the world anyway in our bias opinion. So we carefully tasted brewed Mead with and prototyped some recipes and kits we will be sharing with you in coming months and BeerCo Brewing News. In the meantime if you think you can make some Mead - it really is easy - jump online and grab some of the best honey money can buy - we are stocking three different Archibald's Honey from 1 Kg Tubs up to 27 Kg Pails so you can Mead like a Madman or Madwoman at home or professionally.
Need some Mead Making guidance click and read this: How to Make Mead
Need some Honey Honey? Jump online save yourself time and buy the best honey money can buy and make some Mead! What are waiting for??? Get Meading....PS We recommend Orange Blossom Honey for Light Colour Aromatic Citrusy Meads and Floral for medium body and character and consistent quality commercial meads and Stringy Bark for Colourful Characterful Heavy Body Mead and Bochet.
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- ARCHIBALD'S ORANGE BLOSSOM HONEY 1KG TUB $12.95 Incl. GST
- ARCHIBALD'S ORANGE BLOSSOM HONEY 3KG TUB $39.95 Incl. GST
- ARCHIBALD'S ORANGE BLOSSOM HONEY 14KG TUB $189.95 Incl. GST
- ARCHIBALD'S ORANGE BLOSSOM HONEY 27 KG PAIL $359.95 Incl. GST
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- ARCHIBALD'S FLORAL QUALITY HONEY BLEND 1KG TUB $11.95 Incl. GST
- ARCHIBALD'S FLORAL QUALITY HONEY BLEND 3KG TUB $34.95 Incl. GST
- ARCHIBALD'S FLORAL QUALITY BLEND 14KG TUB $169.95 Incl. GST
- ARCHIBALD'S QUALITY FLORAL HONEY BLEND 27 KG PAIL $325.95 Incl. GST
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- ARCHIBALD'S STRINGY BARK HONEY BLEND 1KG TUB $13.95 Incl. GST
- ARCHIBALD'S STRINGY BARK HONEY 3 KG TUB $39.95 Incl. GST
- ARCHIBALD'S STRINGY BARK 14KG TUB $179.95 Incl. GST
- ARCHIBALD'S STRINGY BARK 27 KG PAIL $349.95 Incl. GST
  
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