What are you drinking ?

[jt]

Ok, so What Are You Brewing was a hotty, as topics go.

Now I'm 15 pints into a keg I only filled on Tuesday and wondering if anyone else has a favourite at the moment ?

It's my second brown with US-Oh05 and it's better than the forst, maybe Ikept the temps down a bit during the scorcher we had in januray

[jt]

That's what I thought you said, but I was a bit impaired after a 1.5l of my briothers Columbus ale, it was a bit sharp. Good stout.

The late hopped pale was bottled two weeks ago.
I had a bottle tonight, carbonated, not great but worth a shot for something half the gravity of your stout !

[Martin Bridges]

Just a recap of a few things over the weekend.

On Friday I met up with Luke "Mr Epic" Nicholas, David "Best hair in NZ craft beer" Cryer, Paddy "Good Bastard" Sweeney and Raffe (who seems to be challenging David for the "best hair" title) at O'Carroll's. Epic Pale Ale was on excellent form on tap, as was Armageddon in bottle and oaked Epic Thornbridge Stout in bottle. I really prefer the oaked Stout to the ordinary version. The best bit was that both were selling at $13 a bottle! Somewhat better than the $20 that Brew On Quay are charging for the regular Stout. Get in there and drink it all up. There should be another guest tap (Three Boys Wheat) by now.

Last night I drank me some homebrew, plus a bottle of Black Sheep Riggwelter from the UK. I haven't had this in ages and I was really impressed. Rich fruity caramel character but an almost tart finish. Beautifully constructed. I shall be in search of a clone recipe shortly!

Today I've kegged my Smoke On The Porter (smoke is subtle as I expected, but I'm very happy with it) and dry-hopped (in a sock) my whole-hopped NZPA. Another 40g of Smoothcone from Albrecht's garden gone in there. I'll be kegging that next weekend and re-using the yeast cake for my next brew.

Relaxing with a glass of my IIPA now. It's past its peak but still very drinkable.

[jt]

The Wild Mild - the porter recipe @ 1.035 with all the hops Stu suggested
I've been drinking the keg version for a bit, but tried the bottle conditioned, much nicer, softer, less carbonation ... if only I'd botle conditioned the lot ... or had a handpump
Thanks for the suggstion and pointers Mr M

[jt]

Tonight was a hydrometer sample of it's 1050 brother, before I tipped 100gm of cascade pellets into it.

But better was the new late hopped pale, kegged tonight and the first warm, half gassed pint is, as always, the best.

cheers, jt

[Stu McKinlay]

Can I have a bottle? I'm back in town next Friday.

[jt]

Sure Mr M !
But which one did you mean ?

[Stu McKinlay]

The Wild Mild please... Good name too!! I've already earmarked "Mild Thing" but not sure if I'll get around to using it.

[jt]

I gave a bottle to a workmate, the one who brewed the Coopers Dark.
He's developed a taste for Porters and he's tried and liked the Mild, but he wasn't sure about this one.

I dropped some seedlings off to Chris on Sunday afternoon and finally got a peek in the hophouse oops, greenhouse,

Went away with a bottle of CS - his C-Sharp.
Picked up the common theme from Mr Cherry's P-Sharp, my attempt at this.
Better body on yours Chris and the hops seemed to be smoother

[MrC]

C-Sharp! That's funny 'coz I've been specifically avoiding that name for a beer (James P will understand).

What hop varieties are in there Styrian & Cascade?

[Chris Banks]

Styrian and Motueka.

Im enjoying it but a bit gutted it came out so cloudy after the dry hop - the styrians I used in the dry hop (well right through actually) were quite old?

[MrC]

Nice.

I've brewed the Styrian & Motueka combo once and the Styrian & Riwaka a couple of times. They're both nice but I think I prefer the Styrian & Riwaka.

[Chris Banks]

Thanks for the inspiration (via jt) by the way - I brewed my one after I tasted jt's version and loved it!
Ooooooooooh to get some Riwaka whats the secret? Every time I try to get some its gone even when I preorder!

Whats the stigma with C-Sharp its not some fancy musical bobo is it?