It's been too long. Nearly four months since I last posted? Unbelievable.
The loss of internet access was the problem in April and that issue wasn't resolved for over a month. Then, out of the habit of posting, lethargy set in.
To be fair, if I'd produced a stunning beer in the meantime, I probably would have been back sooner, but in all fairness, my beers of late have been mediocre. But, I believe I'm turning a corner in that respect and the latest brews haven't been too bad at all.
My overloaded work schedule through spring and summer doesn't help matters, but this week is a rare quiet one, so I thought I'd return to continue what I'd started.
Hopefully over the next few days I'll be able to put up some of the recent recipes and reviews. Today, I have my latest beer to rack and on Friday, I'm hoping to brew again.
Thanks for hanging in there.
Tuesday, 25 June 2013
Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Homebrew Review - Porter
Several of my friends were surprised when they found out I was brewing a porter. As a relatively new convert to proper beer, my preference had always been for the pale ales over the dark ones and if that's what I enjoy drinking, that's what I tended to brew.
But, over the last year or so, I've not had such an aversion to the dark malts. I've enjoyed the odd commercial porter here and there, not to mention a friend's Imperial Russian Stout which I've really taken a liking too. So, the time was definitely right for me to have a crack at a porter and this was brewed last November.
This wasn't a strong, historical, porter mind, but more like the Fuller's version. The original recipe is here and the original gravity came in at 1.048
So what was it like? Not bad. I've enjoyed drinking it and it was well received at my local homebrewing group and some of them know a thing or two about brewing dark beers.
With an inviting scent of coffee and chocolate, the aroma was good, the colour was maybe slightly lighter than expected, but the off-white head laced the glass and didn't dissipate until half-way through.
The dark malts didn't produce the intense acrid taste I tend to dislike, but formed a light mellow flavour, which made for an easy-drinking pint. In all honesty, it was probably a bit lightweight for the style, but as my first porter attempt I was happy enough. Next time, I might increase the brown malt go for something a bit more intense.
Once I've finished this post, I'm off to crush malt for another brew tomorrow.
But, over the last year or so, I've not had such an aversion to the dark malts. I've enjoyed the odd commercial porter here and there, not to mention a friend's Imperial Russian Stout which I've really taken a liking too. So, the time was definitely right for me to have a crack at a porter and this was brewed last November.
This wasn't a strong, historical, porter mind, but more like the Fuller's version. The original recipe is here and the original gravity came in at 1.048
 |
| Porter |
With an inviting scent of coffee and chocolate, the aroma was good, the colour was maybe slightly lighter than expected, but the off-white head laced the glass and didn't dissipate until half-way through.
The dark malts didn't produce the intense acrid taste I tend to dislike, but formed a light mellow flavour, which made for an easy-drinking pint. In all honesty, it was probably a bit lightweight for the style, but as my first porter attempt I was happy enough. Next time, I might increase the brown malt go for something a bit more intense.
Once I've finished this post, I'm off to crush malt for another brew tomorrow.
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Brewday - R.I.P. 28/02/2013
It seems like an age since I last brewed.
I can't believe that February almost passed by without a brewday, so on Thursday I'll be braving the cold and having another crack at R.I.P., a beer I brewed last October.
The main reason for revisiting this recipe is that I didn't mash the dark grains last time, I simply added them to the mash tun prior to sparging. I'd heard on some American podcast that this was a better way to extract the sugar from darker malts, without getting any acrid roastiness. The process was likened to a coffee pot, where the first cup of fresh coffee is better than one from a pot which has stood on the heat for an hour.
I had no trouble extracting the sugars, but the process meant the dark malts didn't add much in the way of colour. So, the upshot is that I want to brew this again to compare the beers side by side. Exactly the same recipe, but the chocolate and roasted barley will be added at the start of the mash this time.
Original recipe here.
I can't believe that February almost passed by without a brewday, so on Thursday I'll be braving the cold and having another crack at R.I.P., a beer I brewed last October.
The main reason for revisiting this recipe is that I didn't mash the dark grains last time, I simply added them to the mash tun prior to sparging. I'd heard on some American podcast that this was a better way to extract the sugar from darker malts, without getting any acrid roastiness. The process was likened to a coffee pot, where the first cup of fresh coffee is better than one from a pot which has stood on the heat for an hour.
I had no trouble extracting the sugars, but the process meant the dark malts didn't add much in the way of colour. So, the upshot is that I want to brew this again to compare the beers side by side. Exactly the same recipe, but the chocolate and roasted barley will be added at the start of the mash this time.
Original recipe here.
Friday, 18 January 2013
Homebrew Review - Homegrown IPA
Due to adverse weather, that Deuchers I was planning to brew this week will have to wait. Half a foot of snow and a frozen water supply have closed off that little avenue of pleasure.
As I've got behind with some of the tastings, perhaps it's a good time to review some of last year's brews. I'll kick off with the IPA I threw together with my homegrown Bramling Cross hops.
I have to confess, that despite not knowing the alpha content of the hops, this beer has turned out remarkably well.
As usual, I bottled half the batch and kegged the other. The picture is from the keg.
The 10% of Carahell I added to the Pale Malt made the beer a tad darker than I originally envisaged, but on the plus side, it does help to provide a decent malt backbone against the hops.
That's not to say this is a malty beer, far from it. But the balance is good, with the hops dominating as they rightly should. And the Bramling Cross are superb. My concerns that amateur drying techniques and storage would ruin them, failed to materialise. Perhaps it's because I used them relatively quickly after drying. But, surprisingly, I don't get the 'blackcurrant' that is often attributed to this variety. I'm getting fruity, spicy hop notes with a decent edge of bitterness, plus a hint of lemon.
Head retention is good and it laced the glass to the end. To be quite honest, I'm not sure I could have crafted a better beer, had I known the acid contents of the hop. If I'm being fussy (which I usually am) I'd prefer the colour to be slightly paler, but changing the malt would change the beer and I wouldn't want that. It's not completely clear, either, but that may be down to a hop haze.
Frankly, this is a lovely beer and I'd brew it again, just as it is. Granted a decent hop harvest in 2013, that's exactly what I'll be doing come September. It's a belter.
I have to confess, that despite not knowing the alpha content of the hops, this beer has turned out remarkably well.
As usual, I bottled half the batch and kegged the other. The picture is from the keg.
The 10% of Carahell I added to the Pale Malt made the beer a tad darker than I originally envisaged, but on the plus side, it does help to provide a decent malt backbone against the hops.
That's not to say this is a malty beer, far from it. But the balance is good, with the hops dominating as they rightly should. And the Bramling Cross are superb. My concerns that amateur drying techniques and storage would ruin them, failed to materialise. Perhaps it's because I used them relatively quickly after drying. But, surprisingly, I don't get the 'blackcurrant' that is often attributed to this variety. I'm getting fruity, spicy hop notes with a decent edge of bitterness, plus a hint of lemon.
Head retention is good and it laced the glass to the end. To be quite honest, I'm not sure I could have crafted a better beer, had I known the acid contents of the hop. If I'm being fussy (which I usually am) I'd prefer the colour to be slightly paler, but changing the malt would change the beer and I wouldn't want that. It's not completely clear, either, but that may be down to a hop haze.
Frankly, this is a lovely beer and I'd brew it again, just as it is. Granted a decent hop harvest in 2013, that's exactly what I'll be doing come September. It's a belter.
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