Julie's Shrink's Folly Opawa Elderflower Ale

[Julie Fitzjohn]

I couldn't find a recipe and so thought pseudo-pils (lacking temp control) and went from there.  This one is a rebrew as my first batch was popular - although I thought I did the same thing, I think my thermometer has lost calibration (and so the mash may have been more like 65.5-66), the efficiency was a bit lower than expected and because I brewed it in summer not spring, the last one stayed at 18 degrees - this one got up to maybe 23, had a longer lag time (reading Andrew Childs comments on M44 since suspect the 1 pack I pitched to the first 14 litre batch better than 1 pack to 22 litres) . So last one finished at 1.012; this one finished a bit drier and seems slightly more bitter (not sure if that would just be less sugar to balance). Anyway, learning plenty and it isn't bad reward for mowing the lawns. Oh and my partner has been making the labels as a project for a course.  Logo based around a Rorschach Blot.  Cheers!

22 litres 

4.5 kg gladfield pilsner
0.23 kg crystal 
0.3 kg carapils

 

67 degree mash

 

90 minute boil  

24g wakatu (7%) 60 min
20g Saaz (4.1%) 15 min
3g yeast nutrient
10g Saaz 10 min
1 tsp irish moss
20g Saaz 1 min
zest 2 lemons 1min
elderflower (frozen 180gram) 1 min

 

10 min hot steep then cool

 

mangrove jacks M44

est eff 65% est

OG 1.044

est ibu 31

abv 4.5%

 

fg (bottled) 11/1/14 1.008

 

[Paul Fraser]

Interested to try this one. I've had Laura Finneys elderflower wine before which was my first taste of elderflower.

Poured a nice amber colour with a very slight haze. Head drops to a thin layer which sticks around.

Aroma of spice and elderflower - smells very inviting.

Tastes lovely. Refreshing with the elderflower coming through in the middle and finishing with the spicy hop note. Intriguing flavour which is making me drink it fairly fast.

Carbonation is good, and it has a thin mouthfeel. This will be because it finished so dry. The mash temp prob had something to do with this. In saying that, it makes for a very refreshing drink the way it is and would be a great summer drink.

Nice job, thanks.

[Crusader-Rob]

Poured this out, currently Drinking it, My lovely fiancee said elderflowers gross, it smells like cats piss... 
thanks for that.

Appearance, pours out a nice copper orange colour, hazy unsure why, but good head, nice and sticky.

Aroma, Low aroma, slight flowery note. malt aroma as well comes through

Flavour, elderflower note with good carbonation. hop bitterness comes through nicely. good sessionable beer without being to overpowering

Mouthfeel, medium body, good head retention.

Overall, Good beer, and as it warms I get more elderflower "catpiss" aroma, and while it does smell a bit like that, its actually quite pleasant.

Lovely job, well done.

[Julie Fitzjohn]

Rob you are much too polite. I am not quite sure how you can think catpiss and "quite pleasant". I've never thought catpiss myself - just think elderflower. I will have to consider it as a possible aroma next time I crack one.

 

[Crusader-Rob]

no problem, was a good solid beer.

If my mrs. hadn't said the words catpiss, I probably wouldn't have smelled it. lol.

[Paul Finney]

Appearance: Nice head which lasted. Slightly hazy

Aroma: The elderflower comes through perfectly. well done

Taste: The taste of elderflower also came through, but i got a slightly sour/tart finish which we also get with our elderflower champagne, so i got a puckering finish.

Overall. In my notes by the time i got to a third through my glass i think my mouth adjusted to the tartness and i really started to enjoy it! I also started to get some orange/clementine taste coming through too. An interesting beer, and glad to see that elderflowers can be used in beers. I'll try it next year when they are around 

[Stewy]

Julie I forgot to make tasting notes but did find this an interesting beer as well as pleasant. Big elderflower bouquet.

[Ross]

Appearance: Dark golden colour with a good head.

Aroma: Slight resin hop notes followed by elder flower.

Taste: Smooth, not overly bitter and just enough sweetness coming through. Slight spice, elder flower and a light lingering bitterness, some earthy flavours but could be elderflower as I have never tried it before.

Mouth feel: Medium body with good carbonation.

Overall a good refreshing beer, it was interesting as I have never tried Elderflower before.

[oliver]

Aroma: herby, medicinal, floral, spicey, peppery, citrus

Appearance: dark gold, pale amber colour, thin lasting head, fairly hazy

Flavour: Some spice up front, followed by perfumy/floral character, very floral in the finish. Some lemony/citrus notes. Great amount of complexity coming from the elderflower - would have thought a belgian yeast was involved. Dry finish, solid bitterness.

Body: carbonation level is nice, medium body.

Overall: interesting well made beer