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

[Andrew]

I was quite pleased with how my beer was tasting but looking at these recipes I think the competition will be hot.

[JoKing]

Mine's fermenting now. I used this years NZ Goldings - they smell awesome. If I get to come up this time - I'll be judging, so don't worry Barry: I promise style will be on the fore.

[Reviled]

" I promise style will be on the fore."

But you still wont be able to argue with your tastebuds mate!! haha

[DP]

Chomsky Ordinary Bitter (bottled)

21L
OG 1.035
9 SRM
31 IBU

3kg Maris Otter
400g Medium Crystal

30g EK Goldings 60min
20g EK Goldings 30min
10g EK Goldings 1min
20g EK Goldings Dry Hop

WY1318 (London Ale III)

---------------------------------

Comte Ordinary Bitter (cold conditioning)

21L
OG 1.040
13.5 SRM
30 IBU

3.3kg Maris Otter
300g Medium Crystal
100g Dark Crystal
50g Chocolate Malt

30g EK Goldings 60min
20g EK Goldings 30min
10g EK Goldings 1min
25g EK Goldings Dry Hop

WY1318 (London Ale III)

---------------------------------

Condorcet Ordinary Bitter (next on the list)

21L
OG 1.039
10 SRM
30 IBU

3.3kg Maris Otter
300g Medium Crystal
100g Dark Crystal

35g Williamette 60min
10g Williamette 30min
10g Pacifica 30min
20g EK Goldings 1min
25g EK Goldings Dry Hop

WY1318 (London Ale III)

[Christian]

Dammit! I tried to make a non-hoppy beer and it appears to have failed miserably. My Porter tastes like Pot Kettle Black, which ain't so bad but not what I was after. Stupid Nelson Sauvin!

[Nicholas Jones]

The Electric Bruha Fat Black

2.5KG Golden Promise
1.5KG Gladfields Ale
.8Kg Crystal 120L
.35Kg Choc Malt
.2Kg Black Malt

60 Min Boil, mashed @68C

50G Pacific Gem @ 60 Min
30G Hallertauer in the fermenter when pitching

S-04

Ended up with 20L

Fermented out in 3 days 1.054 OG, 1.014FG,

will be adding 2 ounces of fresh C4 Krank coffee beans (based on some american coffee porter I read about), crushed in the grain mill, throw them in friday morn, bottle sat morn.

Is tasting fairly bitter at this stage so may need some time in the bottle, the Krank coffee is very nice, roasty, not bitter, but hence only one day in as I dont want to add any more bitterness if I can help it.. (and surprised it isnt sweeter tbh given what ive read about crystal...)

again, another made up, hobbled together from various recipes I found here and on the net...was a little worried about the large amount of crystal, but meh, f*ck it, Im still learning so Im just hoping for a happy accident...

[JR]

In my experience (not all that extensive) it seems that the crystal sweetness takes a while to come through. 3 weeks in the bottle and its carbonated and drinking ok with the hops dominating but 3 weeks after that there is more of a sweetness about it.
It could be that the hops smooth out a bit and let the crystal through rather than an increase in crystal. Similar to the effect of letting v cold beer warm up a little.

Anyone else get this or is it just me?

[Barry]

Yeah that's definitely the case. It's why hoppy beers are best fresh, before they diminish and the malt sneaks into the equation. It depends a lot on the yeast also. Even malt-focused beers are better with a bit of time for the flavours to fully develop.

[Stu McKinlay]

and, on this note... hoppy black beers, from my limited experience, seem to rise in perceived hop flavour/aroma over a period of a couple of months... I guess it is the malt settling down and allowing the hops to shine through that little bit more.

[Barry]

interesting stu. none of my hoppy brown beers have had that chance, save a certain NHC gold medallist. Maybe you're onto something there...

[Stu McKinlay]

i wouldn't have known this with a 20L batch. Something about 1200L is that you tend to take longer to drink it.

[Reviled]

Yep I also find that, a good malty beer definately takes a good couple of weeks conditioning before all those yummy malt flavours come through in force!