What's brewing??

[Sleepy T]

Thought I would make this thread so everyone can talk about what they are brewing and whats been goin on.

I bottled my Tropicana IPA (actually more of a hopped up Pale Ale IMO) a few weeks ago and it started out very solid but has in the last week kind of petered out.

I threw in 3 lbs of fresh ripe mango in the secondary for about 7 days and it was absolutely delicious after being in the bottle carbed and then fridged up for about 3-5 days. There was a nice subtle taste of mango on the tongue and the hops were refreshing and clean with quite a bit of grapefruit and a slightly piney note (used Horizon and Chinook for bittering, Cascade, Amarillo, Citra, and Zythos for flavor/aroma). The aroma was awesome and the color is still a very cool orange (like orange juice).

It has kind of dropped off a bit in the last week though. Not getting any mango, and very, very little pine (wasn't a ton to begin with). Still very good and drinkable (very easy and light for a 7% beer) but kind of disappointed in what it has become. Could it be because the ones I am drinking now have been refrigerated for 2.5-3 weeks?? Should I wait until a couple days before I am to drink, before throwing in the cooler (only one warm 12 pack left)?? I have heard that these flavors will start to subside over time..but I didn't think this fast.

Getting ready to bottle the Hoptoberfest I have been lagering since late June on Labor Day weekend. Hoping to brew a Hef the same weekend. Hopeful to have alot of beer to drink for the fall and football season..

What has everyone else been up to??
Found time to brew a real beer yet Warty (so you don't hafta drink PBR)??
Started on your "redemption" brew yet 757??

 

[757Hokie83]

Not yet, I havent been able to bring myself to dump the bad one yet

The "India Pale Weizen" that I have in my second keg is just about finished up, so I am going to be ordering some ingredients (maybe today) to do two batches. One, I think I am going to do at my gf's suggestion, a Kiwi Wheat beer...the other will most likely be another IPA (always like to have at least one IPA on tap!)

 

[wartyOne]

Thought I would make this thread so everyone can talk about what they are brewing and whats been goin on.

I bottled my Tropicana IPA (actually more of a hopped up Pale Ale IMO) a few weeks ago and it started out very solid but has in the last week kind of petered out.

I threw in 3 lbs of fresh ripe mango in the secondary for about 7 days and it was absolutely delicious after being in the bottle carbed and then fridged up for about 3-5 days. There was a nice subtle taste of mango on the tongue and the hops were refreshing and clean with quite a bit of grapefruit and a slightly piney note (used Horizon and Chinook for bittering, Cascade, Amarillo, Citra, and Zythos for flavor/aroma). The aroma was awesome and the color is still a very cool orange (like orange juice).

It has kind of dropped off a bit in the last week though. Not getting any mango, and very, very little pine (wasn't a ton to begin with). Still very good and drinkable (very easy and light for a 7% beer) but kind of disappointed in what it has become. Could it be because the ones I am drinking now have been refrigerated for 2.5-3 weeks?? Should I wait until a couple days before I am to drink, before throwing in the cooler (only one warm 12 pack left)?? I have heard that these flavors will start to subside over time..but I didn't think this fast.

Getting ready to bottle the Hoptoberfest I have been lagering since late June on Labor Day weekend. Hoping to brew a Hef the same weekend. Hopeful to have alot of beer to drink for the fall and football season..

What has everyone else been up to??
Found time to brew a real beer yet Warty (so you don't hafta drink PBR)??
Started on your "redemption" brew yet 757??

Negative. Working like a demon these days. Trying to get the canning line back up and running. School and brewery, and second job to make ends meet, means very little time for brewing.

However, the homebrewery is coming back to my garage in the next few weeks, and I have some spare time coming up. Going to start honing in on recipes. IPA, Pilsner (probably Bohemian, but wouldn't rule out German), something goofy that women will drink like a Bavarian Hefeweizen (bubblegum and bananas; I don't know what it is, but the majority of women drinkers can't get enough of this nonsense), Stout (foreign export; we already have a great specialty Stout, but it's going to be a seasonal), American Brown. I'd be okay with an American Blonde, or a Kolsch, and I definitely want to experiment with California Commons. America needs a better lager reputation.

Want to stay away from American Wheat, Porter, American Amber. If they sell, I'll change my mind, but they're boring (from my point of view; I realize my point of view isn't the target).

Good times.

 

[757Hokie83]

okay, ordered my ingredients...shall be brewing this weekend, i hope

doing "Kiwit", I believe its a Sam Calagione recipe, Kiwi Wit for 1 keg, and the other keg is going to be a "Kiwi" IPA....no fruit in the IPA, using New Zealand hops

 

[Sleepy T]

okay, ordered my ingredients...shall be brewing this weekend, i hope

doing "Kiwit", I believe its a Sam Calagione recipe, Kiwi Wit for 1 keg, and the other keg is going to be a "Kiwi" IPA....no fruit in the IPA, using New Zealand hops

Sounds great. Using Kiwi in the secondary for the wheat?? What type of NZ hops for the IPA??

 

[Cobrabit]

Brewed a Kolsch yesterday. A little anxious to see how it turns out. In the meantime, I still have the Oktoberfest from the spring, amber ale, cream ale, and blueberry ale to keep me company once football season starts.

 

[757Hokie83]

Sounds great. Using Kiwi in the secondary for the wheat?? What type of NZ hops for the IPA??

actually the recipe that i am looking at says to put the 4lbs of kiwi in the brewpot for the last 10 minutes of the boil, then put them in the primary...typically when i have done fruit beers and what not i have added it to the secondary....at this point i'm undecided.

unfortunately for the IPA, i'm not exactly sure...this was a case where a kit caught my eye and i went for it, i really am trying to get away from the kits, but some of them just sound so damn good....its got .5oz Pacific Jade...then 3.5oz of the "Kiwi Express Hop Blend", and dry hop with 4oz of the blend....doesnt tell me what is in the blend. Guess they dont want people replicating it without buying the kit
Kiwi Express All-Grain Kit : Northern Brewer

 

[Darkstone42]

It's too hot in Tucson for fermentation, and my house costs too much to cool, so I'm on a brewing break until it cools off...

 

[hawkeyedan]

Brewed a pumpkin spiced porter yesterday and I also have some Oktoberfest bottled that should be ready to drink within the next week or so.

 

[Sleepy T]

Bottled my Hoptoberfest yesterday. Should be ready for ACC play!

 

[Sleepy T]

i really am trying to get away from the kits, but some of them just sound so damn good

If you like Simcoe and Citra but are looking for the next
resiny thing; if you like in-your-face hopbursted tastebuderasers;
if you’re not among those who thinks the world
doesn’t need another IPA; then you should definitely just
stop reading and brew this kit.
The setup is old (West Coast-style) but the punchline is
new. A big but uncomplicated malt bill plus Wyeast 1056
set the stage and then stay out of the way of the ensuing
lupulin circus. Via a blend of New Zealand hop varieties,
exotic flavors and aromas permeate your sinuses - sticky
tropical fruit, lime oil, equatorial flowers, Tellicherry
peppercorns - underpinned with an undeniable earthy
funk. All senses saturated with hoppy hues of green and
yellow. Massive late and dry hop additions leave nothing
to your tongue’s imagination and prove absolutely
ruinous to your palate should any other ale or lager be
foolish enough to try to follow Kiwi Express in a tasting
session. The next frontier is the Southern Hemisphere;
welcome to the candy store, kid, here’s the keys.

Damn, it does sound REALLY good. Let us know how it turns out! Don't know much about NZ hops...maybe Warty or another very experienced brewer could help us out on the hops blend..

just from a little bit of research, sounds like it is likely a combination of these hops
, sounds great from the descriptions, will have to get on my LHBS's ass to get some of this stuff.


tropical fruit/lime - Motueka
grapefruit - Riwaka/NZ Cascade
citrus/orange marmalade - Pacifica
gooseberry/fruitiness - Nelson Sauvin
oaken/blackberry - Pacific Gem
citrus and crushed black pepper - Pacific Jade
resinous - Southern Cross
fresh grass/pine needles/lemon grass - Super Alpha

 

[757Hokie83]

got my ingredients in, the packets of hops for the kit tell what kind they all are, forgot to look though. i'll check while im home for lunch and report back....will be brewing this one as soon as my primary is freed up (probably next weekend)

brewed the "Kiwit", kiwi wit beer on saturday, started getting the first signs of fermentation sunday evening, going strong now.

 

[Sleepy T]

got my ingredients in, the packets of hops for the kit tell what kind they all are, forgot to look though. i'll check while im home for lunch and report back....will be brewing this one as soon as my primary is freed up (probably next weekend)

brewed the "Kiwit", kiwi wit beer on saturday, started getting the first signs of fermentation sunday evening, going strong now.

Awesome. Probably doesn't show weight of the individual hops or % of the packet?? Check that too!! :charlie:

 

[757Hokie83]

Awesome. Probably doesn't show weight of the individual hops or % of the packet?? Check that too!! :charlie:

so i forgot again...lol, i may be brewing it over the weekend, we'll see...anyways, i will try my best to remember to report back, lol

 

[Cobrabit]

Looking for suggestions for my next brew or two. Parents and in-laws are asking what things I would want for my b-day and Christmas, so I always figured a recipe kit would always be easy for them and good for me. I'm still an extract/specialty grain brewer and have made a few orders from Midwest and Northern Brewer. Not a huge stout/porter or IPA guy, however, I will always try something once.

 

[Gatorchip]

Looking for suggestions for my next brew or two. Parents and in-laws are asking what things I would want for my b-day and Christmas, so I always figured a recipe kit would always be easy for them and good for me. I'm still an extract/specialty grain brewer and have made a few orders from Midwest and Northern Brewer. Not a huge stout/porter or IPA guy, however, I will always try something once.

Do you mean big flavors are out, or you just aren't in to hoppy and smokey types of flavors?

I thought this kit was pretty good and tasted unique. Not hoppy and not as strong of flavor as bigger beers.
Irish Draught Ale Extract Kit w/ Specialty Grains : Northern Brewer

I made mine with WLP004 Irish Ale Yeast

 

[Cobrabit]

Do you mean big flavors are out, or you just aren't in to hoppy and smokey types of flavors?

I'll drink a pint every now and then when out at a bar, but I don't know if I would want 5 gallons of it. I prefer balanced beers or slightly malty rather than bitter. I'll consider anything though.

 

[Sleepy T]

Looking for suggestions for my next brew or two. Parents and in-laws are asking what things I would want for my b-day and Christmas, so I always figured a recipe kit would always be easy for them and good for me. I'm still an extract/specialty grain brewer and have made a few orders from Midwest and Northern Brewer. Not a huge stout/porter or IPA guy, however, I will always try something once.

Brown Ale's are pretty good and malty but most commercial versions aren't quite hoppy enough for me. The IPA's and hoppier/spicier beers have definitely grown on me over the last year or two. Same goes for a Porter. Good time of year to drink those beers. Most of the Belgian type beers are pretty mild too IMO (in regards to IBUs).

I Need to Brew...SOON!

 

[Cobrabit]

Brown Ale's are pretty good and malty but most commercial versions aren't quite hoppy enough for me. The IPA's and hoppier/spicier beers have definitely grown on me over the last year or two. Same goes for a Porter. Good time of year to drink those beers. Most of the Belgian type beers are pretty mild too IMO (in regards to IBUs).

I Need to Brew...SOON!

Picked up a 6 pack of Sierra Nevada's Brown Ale today because I was thinking the same thing and think I may look into them some more. Do like the maltiness of brown ales and they have a good mouth feel. Not a lot of IBUs, but wouldn't mind some more aroma hops. Will probably start looking to see if any of the online suppliers have a decent brown ale kit or if you guys have a good recipe that I can put together.

I do like Belgian ales and have been wanting to do a trippel for a while, but not sure I would have the patience to let it sit in the secondary for several months.

 

[wartyOne]

Damn, it does sound REALLY good. Let us know how it turns out! Don't know much about NZ hops...maybe Warty or another very experienced brewer could help us out on the hops blend..

just from a little bit of research, sounds like it is likely a combination of these hops
, sounds great from the descriptions, will have to get on my LHBS's ass to get some of this stuff.


tropical fruit/lime - Motueka
grapefruit - Riwaka/NZ Cascade
citrus/orange marmalade - Pacifica
gooseberry/fruitiness - Nelson Sauvin
oaken/blackberry - Pacific Gem
citrus and crushed black pepper - Pacific Jade
resinous - Southern Cross
fresh grass/pine needles/lemon grass - Super Alpha

Nelson Sauvin is a freaking bomb of pungent floral notes. It's one of our dryhop constituents in our Double IPA that is going to the GABF in a few weeks. I expect that beer to medal.