British Brewer

On Tap (Feb 28th 2010)

Been more in the groove this week, head not spinning so fast and managed to get some posts done.  Getting used to the commute, the work and occassional travel and the wife drinking my ales without me home. I am happy about this fact I think. It was fun to brew this weekend, tried “hop-bursting” for the first time using over 1 lb of hops in a brew (12 oz in the last 15 mins). I also found some time to research another classic Old Ale, Old Speckled Hen, so its off with this weeks On Tap Update.

Primary

• 115th Dream Imperial IPA ( 2 days (p) ) –  A rather extreme IPA, high in ABV and a whopping 120 IBUs with over a 1 lb of hops.  Thought I would try out hop-bursting.  I love the comment on the NB site “If you serve this beer to a Michelob Ultra drinker, he or she will cry. If life were a 1950s horror flick, this I2PA would climb out of the fermenter and turn on its master. Your dentist does not want you to brew or drink this beer. Sorry in advance about your tooth enamel“. OG came in perfect and the yeast is raging, was worried about a blow-out with this one.

Secondary

• Olde Luddite English Strong Ale (1 wk(p) 1 day (s) ) – A new Old Ale kit from Northern Brewer, thought I would add some Old Ale kits to my current Old’s and Browns series.  The FG came in at a whopping 1017, almost 6% over its max attenuation, the Fullers yeast was very active.  The sample was already very clear and I could have drunk the whole thing.  This is going to be a very smooth, Old Ale. First week of its 3 week rest.
• Theakston Old Peculier Clone (1 wk(p) 1 wk, 2 days (s) ) – My first pass at this classic old ale, FG came out in range along with the colour, that is all we can ask. Now for 1 more week in the secondary
  

Bottle/Keg Conditioning

• Twelfth Night Stout (2 wk (p), 2 wks (s), 2 day (k) ) – A new extract clone recipe of Rogues Shakespeare Stout from Northern Brewer featuring the PacMan Ale yeast strain from Rogue.  This one is an ass-kicking 70 IBU stout destined as is sitting in the keg. Will give this one 2-3 weeks to settle down before tapping
  
• Fullers London Pride clone (1 wk (p), 1 wk (s), 2 wk, 3 days (b) ) – came out crystal clear from the primary with the FG exactly on target. Looking forward to seeing how this brew finishes off.  Week 3 of its 4 week conditioning period.
  
• Lord Fatbottom Ale (1 mth (p), 3 mths (s)) – exactly half way through its 6 month rest.

Drinking

• Spitfire Premium Ale clone (1 wk (p), 2wks (s), 3 wks, 3 days (b)) – my 2nd pass at Spitfire Ale, the Shepherd Neame classic from Kent UK.  Completely cleared but with a lot of sediment in the bottle.  We started drinking these this week and its good, as good as the first time I brewed it, rich amber colour, butterscotch notes, really yummy.
  
• Grateful Dead Guy Ale (1wk (p), 2wks (s), 3 wks 3 days (b)) – a new special edition kit from Northern Brewer featuring the newly released PacMan 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. Good job NB.
  
• Flowers Original Ale clone (1 wk (p), 1 wk (s), 5 wks (b)) – my first brew of 2010 and first attempt at the classic Flowers recipe. See review from earlier, its a winner and has been promoted to the recipe page.
  
• Dogfish Head 90 min IPA clone (1 wk (p), 3 wks (s), 3 mnth 2 wks (b) ) – Continues to mature with age, been holding back on these to see how they pan out.
  

On Tap (Feb 22nd 2010)

Sorry for the light post week, its been my first week at work and my head is spinning, not from the work but more just being back in the corporate world.  So far so good and I actually found myself enjoying wearing a suit, weird.  I have been brewing though (and finishing a couple of the older batches), managed a new brew on Saturday and moved some beer around.  Guess its time for the On Tap Update

Primary

• Olde Luddite English Strong Ale (2 days (p) ) – A new Old Ale kit from Northern Brewer, thought I would add some Old Ale kits to my current Old’s and Browns series.  OG came in perfect and the ESB yeast is doing its thing.

Secondary

• Theakston Old Peculier Clone (1 wk(p) 2 days (s) ) – My first pass at this classic old ale, FG came out in range along with the colour, that is all we can ask. Now for 2 weeks in the secondary
  
• Twelfth Night Stout (2 wk (p), 1 day (s) ) – A new extract clone recipe of Rogues Shakespeare Stout from Northern Brewer featuring the PacMan ale yeast strain from Rogue.  This one is an ass-kicking 70 IBU stout destined for the keg. Week 2 in the secondary.
  

Bottle/Keg Conditioning

• Fullers London Pride clone (1 wk (p), 1 wk (s), 1 wk, 3 days (b) ) – came out crystal clear from the primary with the FG exactly on target. Looking forward to seeing how this brew finishes off.  Week 2 of its 4 week conditioning period.
  
• Spitfire Premium Ale clone (1 wk (p), 2wks (s), 2 wks, 3 days (b)) – my 2nd pass at Spitfire Ale, the Shepherd Neame classic from Kent UK.  Completely cleared but with a lot of sediment in the bottle.  This has another 1 week to go before opening
  
• Grateful Dead Guy Ale (1wk (p), 2wks (s), 2 wks 3 days (b)) – a new special edition kit from Northern Brewer featuring the newly released PacMan ale yeast strain from Wyeast/Rogue Breweries, this one is a Rogue Dead Guy Ale clone. Still got one week to go, cannot wait.
  
• Lord Fatbottom Ale (1 mth (p), 3 mths (s)) – exactly half way through its 6 month rest.

Drinking

• Flowers Original Ale clone (1 wk (p), 1 wk (s), 4 wks (b)) – my first brew of 2010 and first attempt at the classic Flowers recipe.  Opened and drunk a couple, look for the review later this week. Its a good one 🙂
  
• Dogfish Head 90 min IPA clone (1 wk (p), 3 wks (s), 3 mnth 1 wk (b) ) – Really liking this brew a lot.  I learnt the technique Dog Fish Head uses is called Hop Bursting. I ordered a kit with a similar recipe in its honor.
  

On Tap (Feb 15th 2010)

Tomorrow I will be starting my new job, exactly one year to the day that I officially parted ways with Fidelity after an almost 9 year career there.  This past year has been amazing, I have been a full-time father, got to spend the 1:1 time with the wife we never had before our first child was born (and loved every minute), built a very large blue stone patio, watched our house addition get built, have some great trips, become school treasurer and board member and last but by no means least re-connected with my hobby of old, home brew. Its been a great time, a time of reflection, growing and learning the true value of people and things.  So going back to the office will be bitter sweet.  I am not saying goodbye, the kids, wife, house, school and beer will all still be there but the relationship will change as I add a work life to the mix. But I have changed to, priorities have been reset this past year and I hope I have grown enough to not let work get in the way of my real life back home, one that has On Tap Updates like this one.

Primary

• Theakston Old Peculier Clone (1 day (p) ) – My first pass at this classic old ale.  Realized too late I put in only half the Lyles Golden Syrup I wanted but I think everything will work out.  Yeast is still getting going so too early to tell how this one will turn out

Secondary

• Twelfth Night Stout (1 wk (p), 1 day (s) ) – A new extract clone recipe of Rogues Shakespeare Stout from Northern Brewer featuring the PacMan ale yeast strain from Rogue.  This one is an ass-kicking 70 IBU stout destined for the keg. The FG was on the low end of the attenuation scale but still within range.
  

Bottle/Keg Conditioning

• Fullers London Pride clone (1 wk (p), 1 wk (s), 3 days (b) ) – came out crystal clear from the primary with the FG exactly on target. Looking forward to seeing how this brew finishes off. Will give it 4 weeks in the bottle before sampling
  
• Spitfire Premium Ale clone (1 wk (p), 2wks (s), 1 wk 3 days (b)) – my 2nd pass at Spitfire Ale, the Shepherd Neame classic from Kent UK.  Completely cleared but with a lot of sediment in the bottle.  This has another 2 weeks to go before opening
  
• Grateful Dead Guy Ale (1wk (p), 2wks (s), 1 wk 3 days (b)) – a new special edition kit from Northern Brewer featuring the newly released PacMan ale yeast strain from Wyeast/Rogue Breweries, this one is a Rogue Dead Guy Ale clone. Still got 2 weeks to go, cannot wait.
  
• Lord Fatbottom Ale (1 mth (p), 11 1/2 wks (s)) – sitting peacefully as part of its 6 month rest.
• Flowers Original Ale clone (1 wk (p), 1 wk (s), 3 weeks (b)) – my first brew of 2010 and first attempt at the classic Flowers recipe.  Still cooking, one more week before its ready to sample and review
  

Drinking

• Swampswill 6X (1 wk (p), 1 wk (s), 5 wks, 3 days (b) ) – my first attempt at a true Wadworth 6X clone.  Not as I had hoped due to the use of oak chips. See review.
• Chiswick ESB (1 wk (p), 2 wks (s), 7 wks (b)) – version 1.0 of my Fullers ESB clone. Improved beyond all recognition, only 1 bottle remaining
  
• Draught Irish Ale (1 wk (p), 1 wk (s), 5 wks (k)) – my first attempt at Northern Brewers Irish Ale. Solid keg brew, does well with the BeerGas. Been taken offline whilst my keg system is out on loan to a friend. Will transfer whats left to a Growler.
  
• Dogfish Head 90 min IPA clone (1 wk (p), 3 wks (s), 3 mnth (b) ) – Finally ready to drink after 3 months bottle conditioning. It tastes great in a snifter, the hops are potent and peppery with the caramel malt notes coming in the back.  Will definitely continue to improve with age but I am considering upping the amber malt load for the next brew and using brown sugar over white cane.

On Tap (Feb 8th 2010)

Been a fun week wrapping up projects and getting ready to start the new job.  My new role will involve wearing a suite again, something I have not done since 1998. Just ordered 3 new ones and some shirts, got to say its nice to wear them again, kind of a work uniform.

It was fun researching Theakston Old Peculier and finally publish the recipe. I expect to begin the brew later this week.  Here are the rest of my brewing updates in this weeks On Tap update.

Primary

• Twelfth Night Stout (2 days (p) ) – A new extract recipe from Northern Brewer featuring the PacMan ale yeast strain from Rogue.  This one is an ass-kicking 70 IBU stout. This is destined for the keg. The OG came in close to the recipe and all is well in the primary so far.

Secondary

• Fullers London Pride clone (1 wk (p), 3 days (s) ) – came out crystal clear from the primary with the FG exactly on target. Colour and aroma were promising. Could this be another winner?

Bottle/Keg Conditioning

• Spitfire Premium Ale clone (1 wk (p), 2wks (s), 3 days (b)) – my 2nd pass at Spitfire Ale, the Shepherd Neame classic from Kent UK.  Came out a little cloudy from the secondary, little surprised as I used finings. Must have been the dry hopping and some yeast activity.  It is clearing in the bottle and the flavour was great.
• Grateful Dead Guy Ale (1wk (p), 2wks (s), 3 days (b)) – a new special edition kit from Northern Brewer using the newly released PacMan ale yeast strain from Wyeast/Rogue Breweries. Came out of the secondary crystal clear and tasting yummy, I had 2 sample glasses even though it was flat. I cannot wait for this one to be ready
• Lord Fatbottom Ale (1 mth (p), 10 1/2 wks (s)) – sitting peacefully as part of its 6 month rest.
• Flowers Original Ale clone (1 wk (p), 1 wk (s), 2 weeks (b)) – my first brew of 2010 and first attempt at the classic Flowers recipe.  Still cooking, will not touch for at least another week, maybe 2.
• Dogfish Head 90 min IPA clone (1 wk (p), 3 wks (s), 11 wks (b) ) – Only ONE MORE WEEK remaining of its 3 month rest, can we resist. I know I will try 😉

Drinking

• Swampswill 6X (1 wk (p), 1 wk (s), 4 wks, 3 days (b)) – my first attempt at a true Wadworth 6X clone.  Not as I had hoped due to the use of oak chips. See review.
• Chiswick ESB (1 wk (p), 2 wks (s), 6 wks (b)) – version 1.0 of my Fullers ESB clone. Still improving with age, with 6 weeks in the bottle, only 4 22 oz bottles left
• Draught Irish Ale (1 wk (p), 1 wk (s), 4 wks (k)) – my first attempt at Northern Brewers Irish Ale. Solid keg brew, does well with the BeerGas. Been taken offline whilst my keg system is out on loan to a friend (see below)
• Dry Irish Stout (1 wk (p), 1 wk (s), 4 wks (k)) – my second batch of Northern Brewers Guinness clone. Finally picked up by my friend for his poker night. Went over and installed my keg system for him to use.  Tasted great. Hope they all enjoy.

On Tap (Feb 1st 2010)

Its hard to believe that Jan is already over.  Well Jan ended with a big bang for me. After 12 months of unemployment I managed to secure a new role, starting on Feb 16th.  The change in status will in no way detract from my blogging and brewing, in fact I will probably need the distraction more than ever as a wind down from the pressures of work.

Had a great weekend sharing ales with friends who introduced me to some delicious new brews. It was funny, a friend of mine brought with him an ale inspired by Theakston Old Pecuilier which just happens to be my next recipe, this friends favorite ale to date is Rogue Dead Guy, which just happens to be the inspiration behind Northern Brewers Grateful Dead Guy recipe kit brewed with PacMan yeast, a strain taken from the Rogue Brewery and currently in a secondary in my cellar, and our host served Fullers London Pride, a recipe I researched in Jan and currently in my primary fermenter. With that its definitely time for an On Tap Update.

Primary

• Fullers London Pride clone (4 days) – the first pass at a London Classic Best Bitter using a White Labs yeast strain from the Fullers brewery. I live in hope, colour looks great and the yeast appears all but done with its job.

Secondary

• Spitfire Premium Ale clone (1 week) – my 2nd pass at Spitfire Ale, the Shepherd Neame classic from Kent UK. Dry hopped with some Kent Goldings, yeast appears to be still fermenting, guess it needed longer in the primary. This ale has at least another week in the secondary.
• Grateful Dead Guy Ale (1 week) – a new special edition kit from Northern Brewer using the newly released PacMan ale yeast strain from Wyeast/Rogue Breweries. The recipe calls for at least 2 weeks in the secondary. Will transfer to a cooler location to finish.
• Lord Fatbottom Ale (1 month, 1 week, 3 days) – sitting peacefully as part of its 6 month rest.

Bottle/Keg Conditioning

• Flowers Original Ale clone (1 week) – my first brew of 2010 and first attempt at the classic Flowers recipe.  Still cooking, will not touch for at least another week, maybe 2.
• Dogfish Head 90 min IPA clone (10 weeks) – Only 2 weeks remaining of its 3 month rest, cannot wait.
• Dry Irish Stout (2 weeks, 4 days) – my second batch of Northern Brewers Guinness clone.  Sitting waiting to be drank, come on Bob. The spare bottles have been either drunk, used in cooking or sold already.

Drinking

• Swampswill 6X (3 weeks, 3 days) – my first attempt at a true Wadworth 6X clone.  Not as I had hoped due to the use of oak chips. See review.
• Sinistral Warrior IPA (3 weeks, 2 days) – nice hoppy IPA, not quite an Imperial but its close. Sold another 6 pack and made a severe dent in the remainder of the case at a party this weekend, only 2 remaining of what is a wonderful IPA.
• Chiswick ESB (3 weeks, 1 day) – version 1.0 of my Fullers ESB clone. Improving with age, still got half a 22oz case.
• Draught Irish Ale (1 week, 1 day) – my first attempt at Northern Brewers Irish Ale. Solid keg brew, does well with the BeerGas, more my wife’s taste than mine, but refreshing and smooth nonetheless, still got 1/3 keg to go

On Tap (Jan 26th 2010)

Its been one of those weeks.  I have spent some downtime from the blog researching my next set of recipes and putting some posts together.  The next batch of experimental brews will focus on Browns and Old Ales and I have been doing research on ingredients and looking around for the best varieties to try out.  I have also had a slow week in the cellar, I believe it is the first week since Nov 2009 when I have not actually had a new brew on the go.  But I did move some brews around and managed to bottle a batch to.  So I guess its time for an On Tap update.

Primary

• Nothing this week, have the Fullers London Pride on deck

Secondary

• Spitfire Premium Ale Clone (1 day) – my 2nd pass at Spitfire Ale, the Shepherd Neame classic from Kent UK. Recipe taken from the Clone Brews book. The FG was a little bit of a let down. The Irish yeast only attenuated 68%, this is the second Irish Ale yeast in a row from Wyeast to have a low attenuation.  But flavour and color were on the money.
• Grateful Dead Guy Ale (1 day) – a new special edition kit from Northern Brewer using the newly released PacMan ale yeast strain from Wyeast/Rogue Breweries. The yeast came in on target setting up what is promising to be a great early spring brew.
• Lord Fatbottom Ale (1 Month 4 days) – Over 1 month of a 6 month rest down.

Bottle/Keg Conditioning

• Flowers Original Ale clone (today) – my first brew of 2010 and first attempt at the classic Flowers recipe.  Colour and aroma are on the money and flavour is coming together and tastes just like a Flowers, already crystal clear as well. Here’s hoping the carbonation works. Used Cooper carb drops.
• Dry Irish Stout (1 week, 5 days) – my second batch of Northern Brewers Guinness clone.  Sitting waiting to be drank, come on Bob.
• Swampswill 6X (2 weeks, 3 days) – my first attempt at a true Wadworth 6X clone.  Will be sampling this one in a couple of days, fingers crossed but I have a bad feeling about using the oak chips, they have never worked for me.
• Dogfish Head 90 min IPA clone (9 weeks) – 3/4 of the way through its 3 month rest, cannot wait. As mentioned last week I gave in and tried a sample, 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 so I must keep a couple back to age.

Drinking

• Sinistral Warrior IPA (2 weeks, 4 days) – nice hoppy IPA, not quite an Imperial but its close. Still going slow on this case as the aging is really paying off and I also sold a 6 pack. It remains the top nominee for the 2010 brew of the year.
• Chiswick ESB (2 weeks, 2 days) – version 1.0 of my Fullers ESB clone. Again amazing what a week can do to a beer. This beer continues to get better and getting closer to a Fullers ESB and the carbonation is also improving so definitely better than the 5/10 review I gave it 2 weeks ago
• Draught Irish Ale (2 days) – my first attempt at Northern Brewers Irish Ale.  This keg was tapped over a long nights Rock Band Session with the wife and our band “Daphne’s Bark” (after our first and much loved Boxer who died of very old age, Daphne).  We were swilling them down between “Eye of the Tiger” and “Today”.  Solid keg brew, does well with the BeerGas, more my wife’s taste than mine, but refreshing and smooth nonetheless.

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.

On Tap (Jan 11th 2010)

Its been a busy week for non-beer related reasons. The job market is really picking up and I have been interviewing like crazy.  We managed to spend some great time with friends for my birthday, spending time sampling beers from all around the world. I have very thoughtful friends.  We had a great Northern California Organic Porter that won the night but my American IPA came in 2nd. Back at home we polished off the Abbot Ale, moved some ales into the secondary and bottles and started a new batch. Its time for an On Tap update.

Primary

• Flowers Original Ale clone (1 day) – my first brew of 2010 and first attempt at the classic Flowers recipe I worked on earlier this week. OG came in as expected, the yeast is doing its job, now we wait and see.

Secondary

• Draught Irish Ale (3 days) – my first attempt at Northern Brewers Irish Ale, this one is destined for the keg. FG came in slightly higher than expected as the yeast attenuation was higher than the stated 71-75% coming in at 78%. Not complaining, the sample was sufficiently robust with nutty notes, the wife will like this one.
• Dry Irish Stout (2 days) – my second batch of Northern Brewers Guinness clone and a faithful reproduction it is.  This batch is a pre-order keg for a friends poker night though I hope to get a couple of bottles for myself. Its on the money and proceeding well in the secondary
• Lord Fatbottom Ale (2 week 3 days) – 2 1/2 weeks of a 6 month rest down and already cleared.

Bottle Conditioning

• Swampswill 6X (2 days) – my first attempt at a true Wadworth 6X clone, only doing a 2.5 gl batch as an experiment which yielded just under a case.  Still excited about this one, FG is spot on, the ale is bright and on target for colour and aroma. I will reduce the quantity of oak chips in future recipes as the oak comes through a little strong but I hope everything settles out during conditioning.  Tried some Coopers carb tabs to see if I can get a more consistent carbonation.
• Dogfish Head 90 min IPA clone – (1 month, 3 weeks) Over half way through its 3 month rest, cannot wait. Still managed not to  open a bottle.

Drinking

• Sinistral Warrior IPA (3 days) – nice hoppy IPA, not quite an Imperial but its close. Became my birthday brew, an awesome, peppery IPA by Northern Brewer. Colour is bright, with smooth mouthfeel and a bunch of peppery hops. We managed to finish off almost a case with all the birthday activities and everyone that sampled a bottle gave a strong thumbs up. Its a nominee for the 2010 brew of the year.
• Chiswick ESB (1 day) – version 1.0 of my Fullers ESB clone. I am disappointed. I cracked open the first bottle yesterday and my postmortem will be the subject of a post later this week.

On Tap (Jan 3rd 2010)

The kids have been off for a second week and we have had a friend over, its been a pleasant, and dare I say it, restful week.  We managed to polish off the Kentish Best to some good reviews, though I still think there is work to be done. The Greene King clone goes down really easily and the keg is almost done, looks like I will be out of ale again. At least I have 4 cases conditioning in the cellar and a healthy pipeline in the works.  Its time for the first “On Tap” of 2010.

Primary

• Draught Irish Ale (5 days) – my first attempt at Northern Brewers Irish Ale, this one is destined for the keg.
• Dry Irish Stout (4 days) – my second batch of Northern Brewers Guinness clone and a faithful reproduction it is.  This batch is a pre-order keg for a friends poker night though I hope to get a couple of bottles for myself.

Secondary

• Swampswill 6X (1 day) – my first attempt at a true Wadworth 6X clone, only doing a 2.5 gl batch as an experiment which should yield just under a case.  Primary fermentation completed with the FG on target and the taste and aroma close, but we need to wait for the secondary to complete before we can begin to get excited.
• Lord Fatbottom Ale (1 week 3 days) – This 13% beauty cleared completely in the first week. 1 1/2 weeks of a 6 month rest down
  

Bottle Conditioning

• American Style IPA (1 week 3 days) – nice hoppy IPA, not quite an Imperial but its close. Still needs another week at least but the sample showed promise after a week in the bottle. I will have a couple of six packs up for grabs next week if anyone wants some.
  
• Chiswick ESB (1 week 3 days) – version 1.0 of my Fullers ESB clone I covered in an earlier post. The 1 week sample was a disappointment, the sample has darkened and was not as bright as I had hoped.  It still seems a little sweet and the carbonation is flat. This brew is really puzzling me as the primary showed so much promise.
• Dogfish Head 90 min IPA clone – (1 month, 2 weeks) Half way done, cannot wait
  

Drinking

• Abbots Special Ale (3 days) – this is my first attempt at a Greene King Abbot Ale clone. It has proved to be a very pleasant, smooth ale, though not quite a Greene King.  Its almost done as we had friends over New Years to help us drink it, proved very popular.

On Tap (28th Dec 2009)

Its been a fun Christmas break so far, made even better by having the chance to drink a few of my own ales in the process.  Its also been an exceptionally busy week in the workshop moving ales from carboy to carboy and into bottles plus brewing a new one so its time for the last “On Tap” update of 2009.

Primary

• Swampswill 6X (1 day) – my first attempt at a true Wadworth 6X clone, only doing a 2.5 gl batch as an experiment which should yield just under a case.  Seemed to go without a hitch with the colour and OG on the money. Yeast is active and all seems well.

Secondary

• Lord Fatbottom Ale (3 days) – ABV after the primary is a stunning 13%.  Viscous hoppy barleywine, the sample glass alone gave me a buzz.  3 days of a 6 month rest down
  

Bottle Conditioning

• Abbots Special Ale (3 days) – this is my first attempt at a Greene King Abbot Ale clone. I have this finishing in a keg pressured with BeerGas. Should be ready before New Year.
  
• American Style IPA (3 days) – nice hoppy IPA, not quite an Imperial but its close. In the bottle, sample was beautiful. I will have a couple of six packs up for grabs in a couple of weeks if anyone wants some.
  
• Chiswick ESB (3 days) – version 1.0 of my Fullers ESB clone I covered in an earlier post. A week in the secondary has altered the flavour somewhat.  The colour still matches the 16 SRM but we will have to wait and see how the final product tastes in 2 weeks when I sample a bottle, it seems a little too sweet.  Not as optimistic as I was last week.
• Dogfish Head 90 min IPA clone – (1 month, 1 week) 1 month and 3 weeks to go
  

Drinking

• Kentish Best Bitter (4 days) – Turns out to be a gem, great with the bubble and squeak on Boxing Day. Wish I had more, only 9 12oz bottles left as most where either sold or given as gifts.  Covered in more detail here.