On Tap (April 5th 2010)
So it has finally happened, I have gone a week without a post. I can blame it all on work and significant time taken up by goings on at the kids school. So no free time until this weekend and what a weekend. Sunday the temps were 75ºF, so outside we all went cleaning patios, scrubbing the grill and having a cookout. A slow cooked 6 lb leg of pork on the grill (with a selection of fine ales to accompany to food of course).
I must also report a sad loss. An ale that failed to accompany the delicious pig leg was the Rogue Shakespeare Stout clone. It was DOA. I attached the gas and stout came out the lid. So I guess it was not air tight and sure enough a quick taste test revealed a heavy oxidized ale. Very unhappy. I did however manage to get a few minutes to transfer the Saison (which I really could have drunk on the spot with a slice of lemon) and my Left Overs Old Ale which is surprisingly delicious, maybe I have stumbled up a unique recipe of my own. So what else is On Tap?
Primary
- Nothing this week, all the carboys are in good use. Have a Brakespears Ale on deck though. Very excited, as is my father. Its his favorite beer.
Secondary
- Petite Saison d’Ete (1 wk (p) 1 day (s) ) – This is a first for me. Thought I would try a Belgium classic with this Saison from Northern Brewer. With all the Old Ales in progress with long conditioning times thought it was time for some variety plus something that would be ready to drink quickly or I risk running dry in a month or so. The FG came out of the primary a little under what I was hoping but tasted great. Only a week in the secondary then into the bottles for a couple of weeks.
- Left Overs Old Ale (1 wk (p), 1 day(s) ) – So my left over recipe (sort of modeled after a Fullers Vintage) appears to be going fine. The second hand yeast performed well, with 75% attenuation and a FG of 1022 (9.0% ABV). Tasted really delicious, hints of marmalade, with a really smooth mouth feel. I am going to lay a couple of these down for at least a year. Now in week 1 of a 2 week rest.
- 115th Dream Imperial IPA ( 2 wks (p) 3 week (s) ) – A rather extreme IPA, high in ABV and a whopping 120 IBUs with over a 1 lb of hops using a technique called Hop Bursting I covered a few weeks back. It came out of the primary a whopping 1015 FG, almost 83% attenuation from the mighty American Ale yeast and checking in at over 10% ABV, now on week 4 of its 6 week rest.
- Lord Fatbottom Ale (1 mth (p), 4 mths (s)) – 2/3rds of the way through the 6 months rest.
Bottle/Keg Conditioning
- Old Speckled Hen clone ( 1 wk (p) 1 wk (s), 1 wk (b) ) – I have had a lot of interest in the outcome of this clone. I can tell you the sample from the secondary was very good indeed. It was bright, crystal clear and the taste seemed close. We won’t know for sure until the ale is conditioned. Week 2 of its 4 week rest
- Olde Luddite English Strong Ale (1 wk(p) 3 wks (s), 2 wk (b) ) – A new Old Ale kit from Northern Brewer, thought I would add some Old Ale kits to my current Old’s and Browns series. Came out of the secondary a beautiful deep copper, crystal clear and tasting great. Now in its final weeks rest.
- Theakston Old Peculier Clone (1 wk(p) 3 wks(s) 3 wk (b)) – My first pass at this classic old ale, FG came out in range along with the colour, that is all we can ask. Week 4 of a 6 week rest before a sample to check on performance. Might be tempted to lay some of this case down for a while
Drinking
- Grateful Dead Guy Ale (1 wk (p), 2wks (s), 2 mths 3 days (b)) – Another special edition kit from Northern Brewer featuring the newly releasedPacMan Ale yeast strain from Wyeast/Rogue Breweries, this one is a Rogue Dead Guy Ale clone. I did a side by side taste test with an actual Rogue Dead Guy Ale, colour and flavour are so close its hard to tell which one was which. Taste tested by my good friend Mike Chase who ranks Rogue Dead guy as his favorite ale. He loved it. Good job NB.
- Dogfish Head 90 min IPA clone (1 wk (p), 3 wks (s), 4 mths 3 wks (b) ) – Another week before I crack another bottle to test what 5 months tastes like
