Break Over

Break time’s over and I’m back from a brilliant week away on the Llŷn Peninsula. We got to visit some lovely spots like Portmeirion, Caernarfon and Pwllheli, and of course I couldn’t resist stopping off at the Purple Moose Brewery Tap (The Australia) in Porthmadog.

Pint of Snowdonia Ale in the Station Inn Portmadog

It was just what I needed, getting away from work and the usual routine, even if the beds weren’t the most comfortable! More than anything, it was great to relax, lower the stress levels, and enjoy some fantastic food and drinks with my better half.

The poll for the next brew wrapped up, and the New England IPA came out on top, so that’s what went into the fermenter. It was a bit of a squeeze timing wise, as I’d forgotten we were away Friday to Friday, meaning I wouldn’t be around for dry hopping or the cold crash. Thankfully, my lad stepped in. I walked him through it all, gave him the instructions, and on Sunday I gave him the call to kick off “Operation Cold Crash”, which he handled perfectly!

The beer, now named “Neon Tropics,” is a NEIPA (New England IPA), and as most of you know, these beers really don’t like oxygen. Even a small amount can dull the flavour and darken the colour. I’m pleased to say everything stayed oxygen free, and as I sit here with a glass, it’s still a lovely hazy golden colour with that fresh, fruity hop character. Job done!

Neon Tropics Pump Clip

Now I’m back home, I’ve had a bit of time to reflect. I’ll be turning 60 soon, and while I usually let things go over my head, a few comments have made me think. I’d like to be around a lot longer, and the truth is, the lifestyle hasn’t been helping too much beer, the wrong food, and a sedentary job have all taken their toll.

So, from the 31st of May, I’m going to make a change. I’ve done 50 days without a drink before, but this time feels different. I want to lose some weight, get fitter, reduce stress, and just feel better in myself. It won’t be easy, but it feels like the right time.

I’ll still be brewing, that’s not going anywhere, but I need to be more mindful when it comes to drinking. Just to be clear, the beer isn’t the problem… I am. And it’s time to sort that out.

Quick Poll

Hi all,

Just popping back in with a bit of an update!

We did the tasting of the pale ale and… well, no sugar-coating it, It was a drain pour. Not one of my finest moments! On the plus side, we’ve got a keg of porter and a keg of best bitter ready to go. The Cailleach Porter and The Farriers Reward. Both are really coming into their own now they’re being served at the right temperatures. I might bottle a couple up and send them out before they fade, feels like a good excuse for a bit of beermail.

Speaking of bottling, I’ve been wanting to up my label game. Every time I try printing at home, something goes wrong, paper jams, no ink, you name it. So I’ve found a small company online that’ll print custom labels from my own designs. I’ve come up with something a bit more practical this time, still got the wolf, but now with space to write on with a Sharpie so I can note what’s actually in the bottle. Hoping to test those out this week.

I’ve also put a few posts up on YouTube and Instagram to see what people fancy me brewing next. I’ve got three all-grain kits from Crossmyloof to choose from:

• Atlantis Ale – a clone of Atlantic by Sharp’s Brewery. It’s an American IPA, around 5%, loaded with Mosaic throughout.
• Murgy Straight clone – a lovely, easy-drinking golden ale at about 4%. I’ve had this on cask, keg, and straight from the fermenter at Andy’s—so it’ll be interesting to see how the kit compares.
• Neon Tropics NEIPA – sitting around 6%, packed with Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe, and Solero.

Just waiting on the poll results now so I can get the next brew underway, maybe even tomorrow.

Over on YouTube, I watched my mate Mark from IronWorks Brewing doing a brew day with his friend Craig. He was walking him through the whole process, explaining everything step by step. Looks like Craig might be heading into all-grain brewing soon too, which is great to see.

There’s a lot of talk about the hobby (and even the wider beer scene) slowing down, but I’ve picked up a few new subscribers this week, so maybe more people are getting into it, especially with pint prices creeping up. I get that pubs are trying to survive, but when two pints can cost over £10, and you can get 10 cans (over 8 pints) from the supermarket for the same money, it’s a tough choice for a lot of people.

I was reading something from a brewer recently who said he makes more money selling beer in his own taproom than distributing kegs to pubs. When you factor in delivery, collection, duty, and all the overheads pubs have, staff, heating, electricity. It’s no surprise things are getting difficult. Then there’s tax on top of it all.

A lot of pubs are trying new ideas to keep going, food, events, themed nights and fair play to them. If we can, it’s worth getting out and supporting them, because once they’re gone, they’re gone. Bit of a cliché, but it’s true: you don’t realise what you’ve got until it’s no longer there.

Anyway, that’s all for now, back soon!

Mark

Return to the Kits

Welcome back… and honestly, is that to you or to me? It’s been a while! Things have been pretty hectic and a bit stressful here, but I can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel and I’m grabbing onto it with both hands.

The good news is, I’ve been brewing again! Not just once, but twice since we last spoke.

I’d started to feel a bit disheartened with my beers. Something just wasn’t quite right maybe the crushed grain had lost some of its freshness or punch but a few batches had a slightly odd taste I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Now, I can happily drink less than perfect beer with the best of them, but this felt different. So, I decided it was time for a reset.

I gave all my kit a proper deep clean, sanitised everything, and ordered a kit from Crossmyloof called Farrier’s Reward a 19L kit inspired by Hook Norton’s Old Hooky. Fingers crossed, I thought… let’s see how this goes.

Then came a perfect brew day. I had the morning free,no work, no interruptions. So I headed to the brewery, coffee in hand, Slipknot on the speakers, and got started. And honestly? It turned into one of my favourite brew days ever.

Everything just clicked. Water up to temp, salts added, mash in, recirculation all smooth and steady. After the mash out and sparge, my numbers were spot on with the kit. That alone felt like a win! Then into a 90 minute boil, adding hops and finings as needed.

Target was 19L at 1.042… but I ended up with 21L at 1.044  2 points up! Not a huge difference in the finished beer, but after a run of frustrations, it felt like a real victory. Yeast pitched, fermentation underway, job done.

I was so pleased with how it all went that I’ve already ordered three more of their kits. I’ve got kegs to fill, especially after a few recent setbacks at one point I was down to just last year’s porter (which, to be fair, is just about hanging in there!).

While I was ordering, I also picked up a few extract kits as backup keg fillers always good to have something ready to go.

Fast forward to April 12th Farrier’s Reward had fermented down to 1.008, giving me a tidy 4.73% ABV. I was really happy with that. I kegged it using a no-oxygen transfer, and it was already looking beautifully clear in the trial jar. Of course, I had to have a quick taste… and wow — smooth, balanced, and properly classic. Just what I was hoping for.

I’d fermented it under 12psi, so it already had that lovely cask-like carbonation. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for more.

Feeling inspired, I decided to squeeze in another quick brew while I had the time. Most of my setup is all-grain, so this one was a bit of a kitchen job a simple mild kit from Ritchies. I added 1kg of dextrose, 400g of crystal malt, and 50g of Brambling Cross, brewing to 21L with a starting gravity of 1.044 same as the previous batch. Double-checked with hydrometers and the refractometer… bang on.

Switched up the yeast to Crossmyloof’s Midland Trent Ale, and off it went. It is called Sutherland View named after taking a walk through the Italian gardens at Trentham and looking out over the lake to the monument.

So as I write this, I’ve got a keg of porter, a keg of pale (still to be sampled!), and the Farrier’s Reward ready to go. Safe to say, I won’t be reaching for shop-bought cans anytime soon.

All in all, I’m feeling back on track. I do think the crushed grain I was using has lost some of its freshness, so that’s something to sort probably time to get the mill up and running again. But that’s a job for the next chapter.

Until then, take care of yourself… and keep brewing.

Cheers,
Mark 🍻

Two Wolves Fighting for My Soul

Well, Christmas has been and gone, and so has New Year’s Day, and I’m finally getting back into the brewing headspace – mentally and physically! I’m really itching to brew again, but I know I still have some beers to sort out first, either by drinking them or bottling them up. Most of them are under 5%, so probably not worth ageing in bottles… so a few might sadly end up as drain pours.

I haven’t been too great this week either. Some kind of flu has caught up with me, and how did you guess… it’s happened while I’m on holiday. Typical!
YouTube has been pretty quiet, but I remember it was the same this time last year. Even White Rose Al told me to take my time, as most brewers over here don’t fancy brewing in the cold anyway.

At the minute, the channel is actually loaded with content until around May, with some real legends of the brewing world trying beers I’ve sent out. I’d really love to start sending again soon. Obviously, I’d never send anything that didn’t meet my own standards, but it’s always a great feeling getting a review from people you think of as friends.

Time really does fly – I think this is my 12th year on YouTube now. I’ve tried hard not to bore people… I even condensed a grain-to-glass video down to under 3 minutes, and it still only gets about 30 views and maybe 5 comments! So maybe when the beers are good, I’ll start sending some to those who comment. And yes, I still owe White Rose Al some – not forgotten!

Health took a bit of a dip over winter, and those two wolves inside me are still fighting over whether I should quit brewing or not. For now, I’ve made peace with them. I asked a question on a forum and some of the replies really helped me realise I could brew smaller batches, so I’m not left with all these full kegs.

I enjoy a beer, but my drinking time is pretty limited – mostly special occasions. I drive for a living, so I only get to drink when I’m clear the next day, and it’s a physical job too: up at 4am, work hard, home, shower, eat… I’m lucky if I manage three pints before I’m fast asleep!

So realistically, I probably only get through 6–8 pints a week. When I’m brewing 40 pints at a time, that’s a long wait between brews or trying something different. Moving to 15-litre batches (around 28–30 pints) means roughly one brew a month, and a month to drink or bottle – which feels much more manageable.

So I’m giving it a go tomorrow with a 5.6% English IPA. Fingers crossed for a good brew day and hopefully things will start falling into place again… just wish this blooming cold would clear off!

Grain to Glass Video 

Youtube Channel

Website

Till Next time 

Mark

Tasting Day

 

Hey folks, I am back from holiday! After 50 days without a beer, it was a real treat to get home and see how the hazy had conditioned.

First impressions? Huge mango and guava aromas. The taste is mostly mango, though. Next time, I will probably tone it down by using fewer hops, just two or three instead of four fruity ones. That way the flavours will come through more clearly.

Holiday update: managed to lose two stone and got the blood pressure down (win!). But let us be honest, you can’t go on holiday and live like a monk. There was plenty of great cask ale and amazing food, so I definitely indulged. I am back for three weeks before heading off again, so trying to eat and drink a bit more sensibly at home… although I had to try the hazy pale ale. If it were a dud, I’d just dump it and rebrew, but luckily it turned out pretty tasty! Made a little video for YouTube too, so if your over there a quick watch or a like, share or a sub would be grand. If you are not into mango, it might not be your pint, but I’ve already had 3 or 4 and enjoyed every one.

KNASH - TROPICAL HAZY PALE ALE

Oh, and almost forgot with all the hazy excitement… I’ve got a German style pilsner lagering away in the keg. Could not resist a sample, and wow, it’s super clean and really lovely. Funny enough, the only link between both brews? Tesco Ashbeck water!

Next up, I will be brewing again once the hazy’s bottled or kegged. Loving the Fermzilla for dry hopping and transfers. It makes things so much easier. Got to balance it all with looking after my health though: no big drinking sessions, keep the exercise going (as long as the knee behaves!).

On the work front, there is some overtime going, but I’ll have to skip the next couple of chances. Got car repairs before the MOT and then a doctor’s visit on Monday for the double jab (flu + covid). Do not fancy ignoring it and shuffling off this mortal coil just yet, I have got too many beers left to brew! Honestly, I wish Fermzilla made a 15L version so we could all do 10L batches.

Anyway, I have rambled enough. I will sign off by saying this: with the hazy, I changed too many things at once. New fermenter, new water, new software, new hops. Makes it impossible to know what really worked. Classic rookie mistake! We always tell new brewers: change one thing at a time so you can learn from it. Guess I need to take my own advice, even after all these years.

Cheers,

Marko 🍻

30 DAYS LATER

Hello everyone, it’s great to be back with a little update.

As I write this, it’s the 1st of September and I’ve officially gone 30 days without a beer. It almost sounds like a confession, doesn’t it? Those of you who follow my YouTube channel will already know why, but for anyone just dropping in: my blood pressure had been creeping up, and the doctors gave me two options, increase the medication or make some lifestyle changes.

I chose the lifestyle change. On August 2nd, after a farewell of four pints and a curry, I decided it was time to take this seriously. The last time I tried to step away from beer, I only managed 20 days before my body gave up and I ended up back at the doctor’s. But this time feels different. This time, I’m doing it for my loved ones and for myself.

The first week wasn’t too tough, as I was away driving most of the time. But when the weekend rolled around, it was harder. Football was back on, friends were enjoying themselves, and temptation was everywhere. Being born under the sign of Taurus, I dug my heels in and kept myself busy. One of my bright ideas was to tidy the brew shed, but walking in and being hit by that familiar brewery smell was rough! Still, I pushed through, got things organised, and carried on.

I’ve been lucky to have support, too. A brewing friend reached out with encouragement, which gave me extra determination. Over the past four weeks, I’ve kept a strict routine with food and drink, and I can honestly say I’m feeling much better for it. So far, I’ve lost 27 pounds and my blood pressure has come down. I’ve got another two weeks before my next check up, and I’m aiming to break the two-stone mark. I still need to add more exercise into the mix, but even walking more regularly will be a good start.

On a lighter note, the brewery was calling my name last weekend. With a three day weekend, the “Crewewolf” inside me wanted to brew. The big question was, could I do it without giving in to a pint while the mash was on? The answer was yes! I brewed a british golden ale I’ve named KNASH, around 5% ABV, with Azacca, Nectaron, Superdelic, and Krush hops. It went smoothly, I stayed busy, and not once did I feel tempted to pour myself a drink. I even set up a new piece of kit during the session, which you can see in the photo above.

Looking ahead, once these six weeks are up and the doctors are happy, I won’t be rushing back to old habits. My plan is to be careful and intentional perhaps brewing once a month, focusing on well planned, thoughtful beers rather than brewing for the sake of it.

For now, it’s good to be back, at least in part. Thanks for reading and a special thanks to my friend Dylan for the encouragement. 

I’m off for a black coffee and some Greek yoghurt. Cheers!