Homebrewing - Part 3

Well, my HomeBrewDog Punk IPA is clocking in at 8.1% now - not sure if its finished, the gravity is about 1020 at the moment. Will check again midweekish.

It looks more done though - still had a thick layer on the top last time, whereas its clear now - tastes almost drinkable as it is right now, which is crackers!
 


PTR said:
Well, my HomeBrewDog Punk IPA is clocking in at 8.1% now - not sure if its finished, the gravity is about 1020 at the moment. Will check again midweekish.

It looks more done though - still had a thick layer on the top last time, whereas its clear now - tastes almost drinkable as it is right now, which is crackers!
Click to expand...
Canny strong that like! I finally got round to kegging my brown ale/bitter and blue moon clone. The blue moon smells class. Also found out that I can't fit two legs in the fridge, luckily a mate has a chest freezer that he no longer wants so I will be building a keezer in the next few weeks.
 
Holy shitballs. I've made one hell of an ESB. it was the tt landlord clone, but i increased strength and hop to balance at 5.25%, also tweaked the colour profile with lots on amber malt and a bit more dark

Im really really critical of my beers, so I'm not saying this lightly, it's amazingly good. Like, ive bought far worse from micro brewers at craft fairs. Hell, I've had much worse in pubs in the last fortnight!

Even better, I've got another new one to try next!
 
PTR said:
Holy shitballs. I've made one hell of an ESB. it was the tt landlord clone, but i increased strength and hop to balance at 5.25%, also tweaked the colour profile with lots on amber malt and a bit more dark

Im really really critical of my beers, so I'm not saying this lightly, it's amazingly good. Like, ive bought far worse from micro brewers at craft fairs. Hell, I've had much worse in pubs in the last fortnight!

Even better, I've got another new one to try next!
Click to expand...

It's always great to have what I call a "revelation beer", especially one that is your own recipe(ish). I did it with my steam beer, I actually preferred it to Anchor Steam and I was quite upset last week when I finished the last bottle!

I bottles my American Wheat from the Greg Hughes book. It smelled heavenly (even the wife agreed), the taste I had from the trial jar was ok but tasted a bit young. Can't wait to try it in 4 weeks time! If it's good I'll use it as the base for the American wheat I've had in my head for a while but I'm still not 100% sure of the best way to go about it!
 
Update 2

The English IPA is canny too. Definitely not a fragrant new style IPA, but that's not what i was shooting for. Its a fairly dark, bitter ale. Really impressed with the quality.
 
PTR said:
Holy shitballs. I've made one hell of an ESB. it was the tt landlord clone, but i increased strength and hop to balance at 5.25%, also tweaked the colour profile with lots on amber malt and a bit more dark

Im really really critical of my beers, so I'm not saying this lightly, it's amazingly good. Like, ive bought far worse from micro brewers at craft fairs. Hell, I've had much worse in pubs in the last fortnight!

Even better, I've got another new one to try next!
Click to expand...
I think we should be the judge of that to be fair. ;). It is great when you make something as good as you can buy with your own recipe, my Citra Pale was the one for me and it's also going to be the first beer I make for a second time.
 
Le Chuck said:
or you'd like him to do it

It's a bit experimental but...
it's a variation of this based on what i've had available
http://beersmithrecipes.com/viewrecipe/83209/belgian-strawberry-dubbel-v10

I did for approx 25 pints
3kg Marris Otter
140g Munich
50g each of Special B, Biscuit, Caramalt
400g sugar, 1.5kg strawberries
Cascade & Summit hops
Click to expand...

In the end I got 16 pints.
Tried one last night, can't taste the strawberry that much, but extremely fizzy
all in all. a fairly decent pint
 
Still really enjoying my ESB and old-style IPA. 80 bottles lasts me a hell of a long time. Got the 8.5% ish Punk IPA conditioning too - still looks a touch cloudy, but I think that might stay that way as I took far too much crap into the bottling bucket by accident (bottom fell off my syphon)

Anyway, temperatures are falling. At what stage do people give up on ales? I'd really like to get 2-3 more batches done one weekend.

Otherwise, I might even try some lagers this winter - I guess its a case of getting some liquid lager yeast and making a starter? Would have to be something interesting though, as I'm not going to make a fosters clone as I wouldn't want that anyway!
 
I've made a start for the first time in ages.
"Winter Warmer" is in the garage - brew belt on - making sure it stays around 24 degrees.

Hopefully it'll be ready by this weekend coming and I can bottle it... and start another one!
I don't think I'll do any more this year after these two. Purely because I don't have the space!
 
PTR said:
Still really enjoying my ESB and old-style IPA. 80 bottles lasts me a hell of a long time. Got the 8.5% ish Punk IPA conditioning too - still looks a touch cloudy, but I think that might stay that way as I took far too much crap into the bottling bucket by accident (bottom fell off my syphon)

Anyway, temperatures are falling. At what stage do people give up on ales? I'd really like to get 2-3 more batches done one weekend.

Otherwise, I might even try some lagers this winter - I guess its a case of getting some liquid lager yeast and making a starter? Would have to be something interesting though, as I'm not going to make a fosters clone as I wouldn't want that anyway!
Click to expand...
I'm going to ramp up my brewing now that the bastard fruit flies have gone. Got a brewing fridge to get up and running in the next couple of weeks, then need to get my keezer sorted. Busy, busy, busy!
 
Wilfy said:
I'm going to ramp up my brewing now that the bastard fruit flies have gone. Got a brewing fridge to get up and running in the next couple of weeks, then need to get my keezer sorted. Busy, busy, busy!
Click to expand...
I don't have electric, so I'm screwed for temperature control. The bath - aka reservior of water - did a cracking job in hot times, but now it'll just suck the heat out of the FVs unless I whack 3 in at once - which I might just do.
I've got enough bottles for 3 batches I think

Anyone made any nice ale/lager hybrids?

AndrewP said:
Let me know if you're looking for feedback on this one. ;)

aka give me free beer.
Click to expand...

You're more than welcome mate, but it's collection only! Oh, and its not ready yet - need to chill one and test it, but I still think its a few weeks off.
 
PTR said:
You're more than welcome mate, but it's collection only! Oh, and its not ready yet - need to chill one and test it, but I still think its a few weeks off.
Click to expand...

Can't you deliver, I'll buy you a coffee from the machine. ;)

ok mate, let me know when it's ready and I'll call and collect.
 
PTR said:
I don't have electric, so I'm screwed for temperature control. The bath - aka reservior of water - did a cracking job in hot times, but now it'll just suck the heat out of the FVs unless I whack 3 in at once - which I might just do.
I've got enough bottles for 3 batches I think
Click to expand...

I use a flexitub with a fish tank heater as a water bath? Could try that.
 
AndrewP said:
Let me know if you're looking for feedback on this one. ;)
Click to expand...
Had my first try last night.

Definitely not ready, still has a harsh taste and an apple-smell. Probably needs another month.

Tasted VERY strong though - as in, I don't think it's going to be nice even when its at its peak. Bugger.
 

Back
Top