On Tap (Jan 18th 2010)
I love it when beer that has been resting for a while in the cellar really comes together to make a killer brew. The Sinistral Warrior IPA has been in the bottle for a month and I have been laying off the case since my birthday to let it mature further. Well I finally cracked open another one Saturday night and WOW!! The hops have finally come through packing a huge fruit punch. I can still taste the fruit almost 12 hours later, it really leaves a long lasting impression. The Fullers ESB is also finally showing some character after 4 weeks in the bottle, I may even upgrade it from my initial 5/10 score though I am still planning on altering the malt and yeast.
This week has seen another brew hit the kettle, some transfered to the keg and others simply conditioning, waiting to be opened when the time is right. Its time for this weeks On Tap Update.
Primary
- Spitfire Premium Ale Clone (2 days) – my 2nd pass at Spitfire Ale, the Shepherd Neame classic from Kent UK. Recipe taken from the Clone Brews
book. The first batch was a real crowd pleasure and made the Best of 2009 list. Batch #2 is underway and off to a great start.
- Grateful Dead Guy Ale (today) – a new special edition kit from Northern Brewer using the newly released PacMan ale yeast strain from Wyeast/Rogue Breweries. Its a play on a Maibock, a typical Spring time ale, which is why I am starting a batch now giving the ale enough time to rest for when Spring arrives, which I hope is soon, and not just because I want to drink this beer.
Secondary
- Flowers Original Ale clone (1 day) – my first brew of 2010 and first attempt at the classic Flowers recipe. The primary finished exactly where the yeast manufacturer said it would, not bad because the attenuation range was 77-77% with no margin for error. Colour and aroma are on the money. We have heard all this before so lets just wait and see.
Bottle/Keg Conditioning
- Draught Irish Ale (4 days) – my first attempt at Northern Brewers Irish Ale. Came out of the secondary already a wife pleaser. It is currently in the keg force carbonated with BeerGas were it will sit for at least a week.
- Dry Irish Stout (4 days) – my second batch of Northern Brewers Guinness clone. Went straight to the keg and force carbonated with BeerGas were it will sit until my friends poker evening. The batch came in with a super high yield so there was some left over after I filled the keg. The leftovers went into bottles which will rest for a couple of weeks.
- Lord Fatbottom Ale (3 weeks 3 days) – 3 1/2 weeks of a 6 month rest down. Would love to know whats going on inside the fermenter.
- Swampswill 6X (1 week, 2 days) – my first attempt at a true Wadworth 6X clone. Following the example of my Fullers ESB I am giving this another week before cracking the sample and writing the review. From the bottle it is extremely bright and clear. Hope the oak balances out okay.
- Dogfish Head 90 min IPA clone (2 months) – Over half way through its 3 month rest, cannot wait. I gave in an tried a sample last night. Its really coming along, the hops are still a little wild and crazy but the flavour is potent and fresh. Will become a favorite, though I only made just over a case I must keep a couple back to age.
Drinking
- Sinistral Warrior IPA (1 week, 3 days) – nice hoppy IPA, not quite an Imperial but its close. After slamming nearly a case with friends I left off them for a whole week before trying another bottle Saturday, the change a week extra of aging makes is amazing. It is already the top nominee for the 2010 brew of the year.
- Chiswick ESB (1 week, 1 day) – version 1.0 of my Fullers ESB clone. Again amazing what a week can do to a beer. The burton water treatment is really coming through making for a mouthfeel lighter than air. Its still not a Fullers ESB and the carbonation is too low but its better than the 5/10 review I gave it last week.
