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

[jt]

I've been keen to have a taste. 1.010 and a bit yeasty, malty and cloudy for first impressions.
First thoughts were - this needs a whack of dry hops - but I caught (and still have) a lingering mild grapefruit sensation. It maybe ok as it is. I may rack it Thursday, give it 10gm rakau dry and leave it 10 days cooler

[Stu McKinlay]

not the Rakau!!!! Nooooooooooo!!!!!!

[jt]

Careful Stu, or there'll be an unmarked bottle in your letterbox, when you least expect it ...

[jt]

Or was that a 'No, don't dry hop with it'?

[Michael]

sounds like it may be tasty as is...perhaps a good test would be to keg most of it, and to dry hop the remainder?

[jt]

It'll clear up in a couple of days and I'll get a better idea of what to do.
At the moment, feels like a nice summers day quaffer - just need a few more summers days ...

[jt]

Still 1.010 or close enough and still tastes the same - so it's 13gm of rakau into the tub and it can sit in the corner until I stop being disapointed ...

[jt]

So out of the tub and into the keg (plus a few bottles) and I'm not disapointed at this stage !

Bottled some first, table sugar primed and it was like a 'cyclists shandy' if you know what I mean. Thought I might have slurped a bit of the priming sugar with it, but the dregs from the fermenter were just the same.

OK, a little sweeter than I'd thought, but if it carbs up ok I think I've got a summer stunner on my hands

[MrC]

jt - Are you getting any onions (sweaty maybe) from that Rakau?

[jt]

Onions, vegetal ?
Not originally but I'll taste test again later - it's quite likely as I have shallots drying in the garage at the moment too.

If I were to brew with rakau again (which I will) I'll consider either quite a change to the recipe, or a different style

[jt]

.. tropical fruit aromas of passionfruit and peach ..
typical New Zealand fruity character so would be best suited to new world styles of ale and lager such as Pales and "big" IPA's.

Cut & paste from craftbrewer.
I certainly got this out of the fermenter, but not the keg or bottle, makes me think I hopped it wrong

[James P]

Mr C had one of my pils, which I think may have had a late addition of rakau... sweaty onions.... it may be vegetal, and if so I poked that batch. I have and continue to believe I get a slight green onion from rakau, and I think it is present in Emersons Pils too.