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

[MrC]

Just kegged this beer. The FG was 1.010 at 10deg on 10/10/10. Spooky!

[jt]

And just how did 5X taste Mr Cherry ?

Especially in comparison to the other Styrian based beers - is the third hop a good addition

[MrC]

And just how did 5X taste
The hydrometer sample was very tasty indeed and nicely balanced.

I'm very happy with the changes that I made to the grain bill, the little increase in Carared and Global Cologne has achieved exactly what I wanted and is providing a nice balance with the assertive late hopping.

The hops are lovely, but at this stage I think I'd prefer just the two hop varieties. It seems to have taken on more of a mixed tropical fruit note rather than the distinct hop characters that I get from the two variety mix. I was was hoping that the three varieties would remain distinct rather than blurring. I'll give it a chance to carbonate & conditional a little before I form my final opinion though.

[MrC]

And in case your wondering about the name "5X" or "XXXXX", it's my 50th beer since records began in 2007 and "L" just didn't cut it.

[MrC]

And just how did 5X taste Mr Cherry ? (part II)
Just had a sneaky half-carbed taste and it's tasting might fine. The tropical fruit aspect is more in the background now with the Styrian & Riwaka more in the foreground with the Motueka bridging the gap between them. More of a full spectrum of flavour & aroma all the way from Styrian to Riwaka rather just Styrian & Riwaka. I hope that makes sense?

I'm thinking that the tropical fruit aspect may be coming more from the 3rd generation 1272 than from the hops. Washing out the fermenter like being on a tropical island or like working as a cleaner in Raro factory.

[jt]

Yea, relax and enjoy the combination Mr C.
Enjoy what comes out, rather than looking to identify everything that went in

[Stu McKinlay]

Great philosophy JT... I'd frame that if it was on paper.

I always try to focus on the sum rather than the parts. But, as a brewer, I always end up questioning the parts. It's hard not to look into the soul of
the beer and think about improving it.

[jt]

Sure, look into the soul of it, but if you put a b and c into a beer, do you have to identify a b and c in the finished beer, or can you accept that as a whole they'll make d ?

[MrC]

You're right jt, at this stage I do need to enjoy the end product for what it is. I will, however, always look for what each ingredient brings to the party. I'm ok with a+b+c=d but to control d you need to change a, b & c, or maybe even a little e or f. The eternal struggle of catering for an ever changing palate.

[Ally Mcg]

Sometime this weekend I'll be brewing my Coopers Lager- Kolsch Starter hydrid which will also provide the opportunity to have a little experiment with some bottle hopping.

The plan is to do a 10L brew of the coopers (kit only, no sugar) then bottle as usual with a different hop pellet added to each bottle to allow me to appreciate each hop. Might chuck in some Totara leaves in one if I can find out they're not toxic and maybe a few other weird things, just for the hell of it.

I'll also have a nice big Kolsch cake on which to brew the Spring Babe next again weekend and then the Godspeed You Kiwi Emperor the following, one of which might make it into the Caseswap.

[MrC]

I tried putting a hop pellet in a bottle at bottling time once and it ended up being a gusher. Have you tried it before?

[Ally Mcg]

Never tried before Mr C, but I've heard that it can result in a gusher. I figure I'll give it a shot and see what happens. Maybe i won't carb half the batch to see what happens there....

I figure its all in the name of the next two beers so I'm not unduly fussed if I lose some