Messages

46

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 11/23 Edition

« on: November 25, 2012, 10:22:06 am »

Making 5 gallons of California Common today as a yeast starter for a Baltic Porter in a couple of weeks.

47

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Southern English Brown Ale

« on: November 23, 2012, 11:41:54 am »

The late Ant Hayes did a presentation at NHC, I think it was Cincinnati, about Southern Brown Ale and brought with him a couple cases of Mann's.  It was back sweetened with an unfermentable, possibly artificial sugar if I remember correctly.  It tasted more like a cola than a brown ale to me.
Here's a link to the presentation (from the bjcp site):
http://www.bjcp.org/cep/nhc08_SEBA.pdf

Many thanks, sir! That was very informative.

48

Commercial Beer Reviews / Southern English Brown Ale

« on: November 23, 2012, 10:45:20 am »

Hi All,

I was reading the BJCP guidelines for Brown Ales, and was wondering if any one knows of any good commercial examples that are readily available in the US. The guidelines lists examples that I do not get my area:

Mann's Brown Ale (bottled, but not available in the US), Harvey’s Nut Brown Ale, Woodeforde’s Norfolk Nog.


The description of "Malty-sweet, often with a rich, caramel or toffee-like character", sounds like it would really hit the spot with the cold months coming on. I am also hoping to understand the difference between the Southern and Northern versions of a brown ale so that I can develop a good recipe for one.

Thanks a lot,
Kyle

49

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 11/2 Edition

« on: November 09, 2012, 02:02:59 pm »

Brewed Saison D'Hiver yesterday, and it is happily bubbling away. Just got my shipment from Fresh Hops in, so I'm going to brew a Mosaic Pale Ale tomorrow, and then hopefully get my Dry Stout in on Sunday.

50

Ingredients / Re: Gratzer Water

« on: November 09, 2012, 12:52:05 pm »

Thanks for the thoughtful analysis Martin. Next time I brew this I'll use your recommendations.

+1 This is great information. I will also be using this the next time I brew as well. Also, for those who haven't brewed this yet, it really pairs well with a lot of different meals.

51

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: What's Brewing This Weekend - 11/2 Edition

« on: November 02, 2012, 10:44:25 am »

Bottling my low og saision (D-45 and pils plus Saison III was delicious when I took a sample), then bottling a best bitter.  Then I am going to use the Saison III cake for Drew's Saison D'Hiver. May brew a Dry Stout next week as I take some time off before I start my new job too. Woo!!!

52

Yeast and Fermentation / Re: Wyeast 3711 French Saison

« on: October 31, 2012, 09:25:53 am »

Thanks all. So it sounds like I should expect more than 80% attenuation with 3711. Think I should plan for 85% or so? I plan to mash at 148-150 for 75 minutes and add 1# of table sugar. OG is estimated for 1.067 with my current recipe.

I am not planning on a traditional saison as I plan to use American style hops.

Sounds good to me. I also think that 3711 works really well with citrusy American hops. I made a Saison with 3711 and Falconer's Flight that was very tasty. It also works well with dry hops, IMO.

53

Ingredients / Re: Homegrown Cascade

« on: October 24, 2012, 05:21:15 am »

Definitely use them in the last 15 minutes. Personally, I would toss them all in at flame out. Just bottled my fresh hopped Cascade pale ale the other day. Smells Amazing!

54

Beer Recipes / Re: Black IPA

« on: October 14, 2012, 03:21:47 pm »

I don't think 6 oz in a 10 gallon batch is going to affect it too much. Should be a tasty beverage. RDWHAHB.

55

Ingredients / Re: Ideas for Sorachi Ace

« on: October 14, 2012, 03:18:37 pm »

I agree that APA and Saison are great choices for this hop. I would also suggest that they would work well with Saaz or Celeia in a Gratzer, or perhaps a Belgian Pale.

56

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Timothy Taylor's Landlord

« on: October 08, 2012, 09:40:39 am »

There are a few things I am thinking about for the next time.

All Simpsons GP for the base malt. Use the dark British Crystal. Pitch a full amount of yeast (or a little more), don't use O2 just splash or shake, and ramp the temps up at the end. Get he sulfates to 350 ppm or above.

Last time needed more esters, and lacked some residual sweetness, and needed a little of the Burton snatch. At least that was how it compared with my memory.

Very interesting. I have a couple of questions then.

I have been using Fawcett GP, and have not used Simpson's. Do you think I should make the change, and what has been the difference between the two brands been, in your experience? Further, generally I have been using the Fawcett Dark Crystal (II), which has a 118-124 L, is that too dark?

Otherwise, I usually make a starter, and make a nice healthy dose to pitch. I agree that the ones I have underpitched have been a bit too much with the esters.

57

Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Timothy Taylor's Landlord

« on: October 07, 2012, 07:01:46 pm »

Which clone version do you brew?

Funny you should ask, I was actually going to brew your version, Hopfenundmalz, in a couple of weeks.

However, I brew the Northern Brewer version, except that I move the EKG to 15 minutes usually.

www.northernbrewer.com/documentation/allgrain/AG-Innkeeper.pdf

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Commercial Beer Reviews / Re: Timothy Taylor's Landlord

« on: October 07, 2012, 05:23:06 pm »

Speaking as the Yank in the UK that I am.

Landlord is a good solid ale.  One thing I find is that it varies from year to year in taste.  I don't know if it is the Golden Promise malt but it seems to swing with the seasons.  The one thing it has going wrong with it is that Madonna said it was her favorite beer a few years ago and that riled the locals up a bit.  Regardless, it is a much better out of a hand pump thna it is out of a bottle.

I've only ever had it on cask so I would hesitate to buy it in a bottle in the US. I remember being excited to get Fullers' Porter over here and being very disappointed. It was a completely different beer compared to what I'd had in England.

I brew the clone all the time, so I was excited to see the bottle. However, I wasn't expecting it to blow my mind. Nonetheless, I was not at all disappointed. It was certainly different than what I've been making, but then, I've never had the real thing, so I don't know if I should be disappointed.

59

Commercial Beer Reviews / Timothy Taylor's Landlord

« on: October 07, 2012, 01:06:16 pm »

I just bought some Timothy Taylor's Landlord from my local liquor store? I saw it on the shelf, and obviously just had to buy it. I didn't realize that they were being imported here. Regardless, it was a pretty tasty beer. Some hay and spice in the aroma, nice chewy malt...really quite delicious. I don't get the slight orange marmalade that I get from the clone version I brew, but that may be because this has traveled, and lost some aroma.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45557462@N02/8064097529/

60

Ingredients / Re: NZ hop varieties?

« on: September 30, 2012, 04:19:38 pm »

So, I went a little crazy. I picked up the following, and what I'm thinking of making with them:

Motueka - blonde or pale lager?
Pacific Jade - APA?
Rakau - dry-hopped wheat (maybe rye)
Green Bullet - bittering?
Super Alpha - bittering?

And I picked up some more Nelson Sauvin so I can rebrew the Nelson Brut I made last year.

Any suggestions?

I was actually just thinking that Rakau might be nice in a pale lager. It has a rough quality to it that fades over a couple of months to give a nice fruity aroma. I do not the ability to lager, so I was thinking of doing a faux lager this winter with it.

Pacific Jade would make a great APA. I think it blends well with Crystal and Columbus. It also makes a really good rye and amber. I was thinking of making a saison with it soon.