Gwlithyn

Gwlithyn is the Welsh word for dewdrop! The brew has been named Gwlithyn as the master brewer had a cold! Gwlithyn is a mild ale.

• 2.4Kg Premium Grade Pale Malt Extract
• 165g Black Malt
• 245g Maltose Syrup (or 80% sugar 196g)
• 38g Challenger Hops
• 8g Goldings Hops
• Water

• Make sure everything is clean and sterilized!
• Most of the equipment can be found in a kitchen. Brewing bins, barrels and demi johns can be bought new, but have a look in car boot sales and second hand shops you never know what you may find.
• The bottles again can be bought, but why not have a few Newcastle Brown Ales and use the empties?
• The only bit of equipment that you may have trouble finding is a crowner. However, for a sample of your brew you can always use mine!

1. Make a yeast starter solution.
2. Stand the malt extract in some hot water for 5 to 10 minutes to soften it.
3. Put about 18 litres of water into the boiler and heat to about 40°C.
4. Stir in the malt extract and other grains then bring to the boil
5. Add the first batch of hops as soon as the wort comes to the boil.
6. Add any sugars or syrups about half way through.
7. Add the second batch of hops about 15 minutes before the end.
8. A good vigorous boil is needed for about 1½ to 2 hours.
9. Switch the boiler off and let things settle for a bit.
10. Drain the wort into the fermentation vessel ensuring that as much debris as possible remains in the boiler.
11. We need to cool the wort, either leave it over night with a lid on or, sit the vessel in some cold water, stir the wort and change the cold water regularly.
12. After cooing, the wort is adjusted to the correct specific gravity by adding cold water. Run the wort from one vessel to another to aerate it.
13. Making sure the temperature is less than 30°C then add the yeast starter. Place the lid on and put in a place where the temperature is
    within the range 18°C and 22°C, optimum 20°C. Remove the lid once the yeast head begins to form.
14. Do not interfere with the yeast head, except to remove any really nasty bits.
15. After a couple of days, when it has attenuated to about ½ of the OG, transfer the fermenting wort into another vessel. Siphon the beer from one to the other without adding too much air to the wort. Leave as much yeast and sediment as possible in the original vessel. Put the lid back on the newly filled vessel until a new head has formed.
16. When fermentation as stopped or the OG is near the final value the beer is ready for barreling. You can move it to another vessel and
    leave for 12 hours in a cool place to encourage more bits to drop out of the liquid. Again siphon the beer from the vessel into the barrel without adding too much air. Make sure that no sediment gets into the barrel.
17. Vent the barrel a couple of times to drive off any air. If not much gas is forthcoming then 50g of cane sugar priming can be added.
18. Leave in the barrel for at least three weeks more is advisable. The beer will keep for at least three months.
19. The beer can then be bottled, and left for another month.
20. I assume it can be left in the barrel for another month also?