Growing Beer

That's the final episode in the can or, more accurately, the memory card. Episode 6 is live, looking to the future and sustainability with @EmmaMcClarkin , @Maltdoctor15 and @origsmallbeer to wrap up the series and project! beerwithben.co.uk #growingbeer

Last glass from 2020 - 6 weeks old & still drinkable! Big thank you again to @zythophiliac @merryndineley @OHagansMeadery for their podcast contributions & to @beerandpub for their support through BREF. Final episodes later this year - until then look after yourselves, stay safe!

Curious as to what would have happened if I had tried to fix and use the homemade pot, I put it out in the rain to get wet. Was it fired well enough to hold together? Would it have held the precious fermentation? No. No it would not. #growingbeer #brewing #pottery

And how does the braggot fare after 3 weeks? I cracked it open on Christmas Day and it’s actually still drinkable - a little more sour than the fresh bottle but you’d have a good couple of weeks to enjoy it after a brew! #growingbeer #braggot #brewing #beer #ale #podcast

That’s very kind @TimeAtTheBarPod - glad you’re enjoying it! If you need any tips or have some questions just let me know!

@Feinschmeckgart You’re very welcome, thank you!

Episode 5, the last one, is finally here. Was it all worth it? Find out how the final prep went, I’ll run you through the brew itself & then on to that all important last step - the tasting! beerwithben.co.uk/podcast-the-br… #growingbeer #findingbeer #podcast #ale #beer #braggot #brewing

there it is - decanted into a bottle so you can see it after being foraged, grown, dried, malted, soaked, heated with rocks and then fermented in an open bowl. And the taste? I’m going to be cruel and make you wait for the last episode on Monday... #growingbeer #findingbeer

It would be totally reasonable to think that, after looking at the braggot as it finished fermenting that things had gone horribly wrong. However... #growingbeer #findingbeer #ale #braggot #beer #brewing #selfsufficiency #podcast #yeast #kveik

Just one more late night keeping the fire and the kveik fermentation hot - with any luck I can try the (old & new) versions of the braggot in the next day or so. Episode 5 coming very soon...! #growingbeer #findingbeer #ale #braggot #beer #brewing

@KatherineFuto This one dried out in about a day when left next to the log burner, but I expect it would have been done in half the time in the dehydrator - I would normally use one but keeping it low-tech for this brew!

Once the wort was cooled and scooped into my (not DIY) bowl, time for the dried yeast harvested from my last raw ale - the modern version has a fresh packet instead to see if there is any difference in how fast it ferments #growingbeer #findingbeer #ale #yeast #beer #brew #kveik

Which takes us up to the end of the night (5am) - the raw ale has the flakes, yeast stick & honey in. Within 3 hours it’s off and by 10am I’m amazed how vigorous this kveik is! Modern brew is the same, as expected #growingbeer #findingbeer #ale #beer #brewing #selfsufficient

Then the last of the foraged ingredients into the modern boil - I ended up going for a small bouquet of the meadowsweet, ground ivy and yarrow. Once cooled it’ll have the yeast and honey added and left to ferment #growingbeer #findingbeer #ale #brewing #beer

@merryndineley There is some sweetness coming through - not as much as the modern version/process, but definitely some sugar there!

@Growingbeer You'll know if you're making sugars cos it will smell right. :-)

So, with the stones in (sorry, can’t hold hot rocks & camera) next was to keep the wort at 65C - I only just got it there with my hot stones, and with no more left I ended up taking some wort out, heating it up then adding back in #growingbeer #findingbeer #ale #brewing #beer

@thebeercavalier I was hoping for a little caramelised sugar with the hot rocks, but I have a suspicion it’s going to be quite smoky - fingers crossed the ash and char from the stones doesn’t affect it too much

@Growingbeer I expect the flavour of the fire cooked one will be quite smokey and potentially quite punchy.

Whilst the primitive, DIY brew is mashing I set up my modern, all-in-one comparison with the same ingredients. Def less work and much quicker, but what difference does the controlled mash, boil and, er, lack of burnt stones make? #growingbeer #ale #beer #brewing #findingbeer

@trilobitetracks @RadicalBrewingM Yes - it’s a little primitive, essentially I’ve hollowed out the centre of a log to create the trough. Not quite as big or impressive as the traditional Scandinavian versions!

@RadicalBrewingM It’s a domestic all-in-one RIMS (Grainfather) - considerably easier than trying to keep what is essentially a small log at temperature!

@Growingbeer What equipment are you using to ensure a constant temp, RIMS, HERMS or sufficiently big and well insulated