What are you brewing?

[nzbrewer]

Since this is the most popular thread on the RealBeer.co.nz forum I thought I would start it here just to see what happens

[Reviled]

Small amount in the dry hop??? 25gms????

Bro I mixed Sauvin with Galaxy - and galaxy is pungent, I used 2/3'rds Sauvin to Galaxy and for weeks all I could pick in the aroma was Sauvin with the most subtle hint of Galaxy...

Its such a dominent hop IMO... The amounts Steve dry hops with is the equivilant to like 5gms per 20 litres I think from memory?

[JoKing]

It is very dominant - but considering that there are 75 grams of other hops - the competition for aroma should be pretty well muddled - well - fingers crossed anyway.

And on another note - I dont think that there is anything wrong with Sauvin. I think if you use other hops that work with what it brings to the beer, the results can be outstanding. I guess it's just finding those hops in the 1st place, and then finding that balance. I reckon that this IPA will work a long way in finding that.

Either that, or it'll just work on getting me drunk.

Either way, I'll be happy.

[Reviled]

I agree and quite like Sauvin, I have small additions of it in my Unspeakable recipe and its subtle, but you can pick it... And in the end with Galaxy it was fucking awesome, it just took along time for the galaxy to shine through...

If i was going to brew it again, id probably use half sauvin to galaxy...

[Mike Neilson]

Well you got the all NZ hop Imperial IPA so crack that open see what you think!!

[Reviled]

Hopefully its waiting for me when I get home :o) Thatd be sweet!

[JoKing]

Mike, your NZIIPA has totally reaffirmed my faith in NZ hops. It's a very well crafted Ale mate - lovely tropical fruit on the nose - and the Riwaka sits nicely on the background... nice balance of the hops. The Cascade too isn't too full on, and there are no hints of black pepper in it.

The palate backs this up, with enough body to carry the hop flavours - no sharp notes to speak of. The bitterness is spot on for these hops - there are no astringincies to speak of, and it doesn't linger how some hops can.

Well done mate - I'm really proud of how good this beer tastes. You are the man.

[Mike Neilson]

What did you think of the Malt?

[JoKing]

There was just enough body to back the hops up. I dont think that the hops were so full on that it needed a lot of body in there - so the overall impression was that it was a crisp summery drop. I'm picking ADM was the base, but can't put my finger on the rest... but colourwise I would guess Caramel over Crystal.

Regardless of all this, the beer itself was the winner on the day. Very balanced and drinkable. No heat, no astringincy, no funk, no grit, no lingering uncomfortable bitterness, no black pepper, no huskyness and no grassyness.

Just clean hops, clean body and clean beer.

Job well done.

[Mark]

I'm gonna brew my Imperial NZIPA not this weekend but the next, still working out the hopping schedule etc. Made a blonde ale with riwaka recently, is in secondary at the moment. Had a taste of it last night, tastes like there's a grapefruit in the carboy! Late additions really came through

[James P]

Another try at a Blonde....

5kg Pilsner (thanks Ged)
25g Riwaka at 60, 30, 0.. and dry hop 25.

Just starting to boil now, with a mare of a mash. On the saccrification the temp was too high, getting close to 70, so numb nuts here threw in another couple litres of cold to bring it back down.... to 64/65 instead of 67/68.... I think I need to go back to single infusion mashes for awhile to sort out my numbers.

Efficiency took a hit with this one I think.... I'll wait for the after boil gravity reading.

[MrC]

I've been thinking lately about brewing something similar to this. I don't have fermentation temp control (other than the bath and ice) but reckon I could maintain 12c for the duration of the ferment.

What do you reckon the difference would be between James's recipe above fermented at 16c with US-05 versus 12c with a lager yeast like W-34/70 or S-23?

Hmm... Could make for an interesting split batch. Anyone tried both?

[jt]

No, but I reckon W2112 would be a goer ... even at the same temps if there was no temp control