Brewing Like Americans: Cascadian and Amber Ales (PIC HEAVY)

[leedsbrew]

You two are mad... You must have some messy night out / night in!!!

I see that first recipe used up everything you had odds and ends of!!

I'll agree with ade their, F ing bonkers! Love it! Gonna have to meet up next time i'm over in the Caster!

[leedsbrew]

By the way, I am very interested in how the cold extraction thing works out with the roasted grains, I have never tried that technique. I would probably just use the debittered Carafa, I would love to hear the pros and cons of your technique.

Me too! I was just listening to the brewing network 'sunday session' where they were talking about cold extraction for dark grains!

[TheMumbler]

There is a reasonable roasty taste to the cascadian, however we did use a variety of roast grains, the roast thing comes as a late taste back of the mouth sort of thing which works quite well to my mind. Also steve left his (with the stronger flavours) at room temperature which may have resulted in more roastiness. And then there is the coffee...

If you were doing it more seriously I'd go for a small amount of carafa special 3 (or whichever is darkest) and make sure you do it in the fridge. I think it does reduce the amount of roast flavour coming out. I'd stick 10-20g of carafa special 3 in about a 100ml of water in the fridge overnight and have a sip, that will give you a better idea that me talking about it. It certainly comes out dark as you can see from the pics.

[lancsSteve]

steve left his (with the stronger flavours) at room temperature which may have resulted in more roastiness.

tap cold and in cooler overnight but SHOULD have fridged it really - with just carafa special i think you could get almost no roastiness but all the colour and no bitterness from overnight cold extraction.

It's by far the best technique for extracting coffee flavour too - easiest to do in a cafetiere.

From taste out of secondary I agree that the hint of roast works nicely as late taste and back of the mouth - it's NOT dominant at all and I think with some maturation will blend in nicely to create a pleasant complexity.

[TheMumbler]

Seems to have more of an evil twin vibe to me than IPA but black. Nice though which is the main thing. I guess cold extraction of as little of the darkest carafa special as you can get away with would be the best approach to get that IPA but black thing.

[snip]... Gonna have to meet up next time i'm over in the Caster!

Give us a shout if you are going to be in town, otherwise in October for the NCBA meet?

[leedsbrew]

I'll defenitly be over before then matey! I'l drop you lads a line!

[pantsmachine]

Looking forward to seeing the beer in a glass photo foe these beers. Any smellovision fitted y'all?

How was D.T's then Steve?

[lancsSteve]

Well the citra's now had a couple of weeks in the warm in a corny so should be well carbonated and ready to dispense - thinking of cracking it Monday to drink while doing next brew - what could POSSIBLY go wrong???

[TheMumbler]

Had a couple of pints of the cascadian last night. It is pretty good, plenty of malt flavour in there more like evil twin than an IPA that isn't pale. Lots of hop flavour and aroma.

If I was doing it again in a vaguely sensible manner I think I'd go for debittered only to try and reduce the maltiness. Not there is anything wrong with the taste but I'd like to see how close to an IPA flavour you can get while having it black. Maybe triangular numbers for the hopping

[bosium]

How's the citra tasting? I'm dying to know!

[TheMumbler]

Steve has the citra. I have had some but he gave me tasters of quite a few beers that night so I can't really remember in detail what it was like. Seem to remember it was nice but you would have to ask steve for more detailed tasting notes.

[lancsSteve]

Lovely - getting better (was a little harsh when first cracked).

Powerful passionfruit aromas and citrus flavours - VERY american. Good combo of hops. Quite a bit of higher alcohol flavour in it initially well which is starting to mellow More detailed taste test and pics soon though typical US-05 haze and amber not blonde.

Strong as well - can't wait to try cascadian! (Guessing cornie spares worked then?)

[TheMumbler]

It was leaking on the IN post. As a first step I just just took the post apart and put it back together again, seems to be holding gas OK now.

[lancsSteve]

The Citra got a big fat 0 in the National Homebrew Comp - maybe needed to go in to American IPA not American Amber Ale? It goot PANNED for solventy higher alcohol and other flaws - waiting to see the feedback but overheard the judges (Swazi and Brett Ellis) slating it... Look forward to seeing what feedback gave it a zero!!!

[simple one]

Never mind, everyday is a school day.