Hi all
I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for a nice light summer beer please. My good lady friend and I prefer hoppy beers to malty ones.
I am currently fermenting a Woodefords Great Eastern dry hopped with 15g of East Kent Goldings and have a Brupaks IPA and Almondsbury Old conditioning.
and advice would be great
Cheers
JP
Summer Beer Recommendations Please
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fivetide
I was tempted by the Muntons Premium Gold Midas Touch, but as I'm already doing Great Eastern (probably with Cascade or First Gold) and Wherry (already in keg with First Gold) as Summer-ish ales, I decided to swerve the Midas Touch and go for Smugglers (Brambling Cross maybe?).
But maybe next time.
Let me know what you decide though. I also liked the look of Fixby Gold which seems dead popular on the forums generally.
But maybe next time.
Let me know what you decide though. I also liked the look of Fixby Gold which seems dead popular on the forums generally.
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PieOPah
While a slight deviation away from the expected answers, I would recommend a Coopers Ginger Beer. This can be made alcoholic or none alcoholic.
The only thing I would advise with this one is to give it plenty of maturing time (if making alcoholic!). You may also want to bottle it so it can be served nice and cold from the fridge. A fantastic drink for a hot summers day.
I no longer make kits, but I would not hesitate to go back and make this one again (oh and don't use DME for this, use the plain table sugar!)
The only thing I would advise with this one is to give it plenty of maturing time (if making alcoholic!). You may also want to bottle it so it can be served nice and cold from the fridge. A fantastic drink for a hot summers day.
I no longer make kits, but I would not hesitate to go back and make this one again (oh and don't use DME for this, use the plain table sugar!)
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J_P
Thanks folks top advice for the newbie as always
I have opted for the Fixby Gold as the brupaks kits seem nice and easy to brew. From the sneaky taste of the Almondsbury Old I had (out of the bottom of the primary) the other week the Brupaks kits seem pub quality too! I can't wait to try that one, talk about wishing your life away!
If ParkerWittons Honeyed Great eastern ale turns out OK I think I may have a pop at that one next time failing that I'll be back here to try the next recommendation on offer.
The brewferm range sounds interesting I just want to make sure I can make the "ordinary" kits before I branch out into speciality brews! I should be in a position to tell at the weekend when my first brew (Brupaks IPA) should be 3 weeks old (conditioning) and ready for a sneak preview. I think I may have boiled it for too long or not chilled it fast enough as it is pretty cloudy however , as I read somewhere, it's not your successes you learn from but your mistakes. If that rationale was true I should be a bl**dy genius!
I'm currently feeling a little guilty for accepting all this advice without being able to give any. I may be a brewing newbie but I'm pretty handy at growing veg so if you have any queries then fire them my way and I'll endeavour answer them whilst assuaging my guilt whist repaying the advice!
Cheers (Again)
JP
I have opted for the Fixby Gold as the brupaks kits seem nice and easy to brew. From the sneaky taste of the Almondsbury Old I had (out of the bottom of the primary) the other week the Brupaks kits seem pub quality too! I can't wait to try that one, talk about wishing your life away!
If ParkerWittons Honeyed Great eastern ale turns out OK I think I may have a pop at that one next time failing that I'll be back here to try the next recommendation on offer.
The brewferm range sounds interesting I just want to make sure I can make the "ordinary" kits before I branch out into speciality brews! I should be in a position to tell at the weekend when my first brew (Brupaks IPA) should be 3 weeks old (conditioning) and ready for a sneak preview. I think I may have boiled it for too long or not chilled it fast enough as it is pretty cloudy however , as I read somewhere, it's not your successes you learn from but your mistakes. If that rationale was true I should be a bl**dy genius!
I'm currently feeling a little guilty for accepting all this advice without being able to give any. I may be a brewing newbie but I'm pretty handy at growing veg so if you have any queries then fire them my way and I'll endeavour answer them whilst assuaging my guilt whist repaying the advice!
Cheers (Again)
JP
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J_P
Do it Daab (I've Seen you offering advice around the RC forums!) - it's easier than you imagine (like kit brewing) plus whatever you grow will be infinitely superior to anything you can buy. For Example it would be like comparing your finest AG brew to john smiths smooth (sorry)!
I haven't eaten a tomato since the last one off the vine in November, Anything else just doesn't compare (I'm Sure you can appreciate what I mean)
Cheers Again!
I haven't eaten a tomato since the last one off the vine in November, Anything else just doesn't compare (I'm Sure you can appreciate what I mean)
Cheers Again!
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J_P
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bettyswallocks
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Chris The Fish
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mysterio
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Wez
JP - Veg question. Last year i tried to grow some chilli peppers (can't recall which ones) the plants flowered but rather than the flower dropping off leaving a 'bud' which should then turn into a fruit the stem above all of the flowers became weak and eventually snapped off no chillies appeared 
- is that something you've come across.
Eh, Isn't the forum getting a bit Percy Thrower
- is that something you've come across.Eh, Isn't the forum getting a bit Percy Thrower
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J_P
Ha ha ha me and my big mouth!
Mysterio - I've never grown melons myself but I've heard you can grow them in this country in a greenhouse or polytunnel, asuming that you're in the UK (given your name I'd guess we're not likely to find out
). To maximise your chances I'd recommend you find a variety that is fast maturing for our (relatively) short summers and start them off early. From a cursory glance I'd recommend something like Yellow Baby from Thompson and Morgan http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/product/521/1
I think they're heavy feeders so growing them in spent hop compost may not be the best idea start them in something with a bit of manure. Unlike home brewing the instructions on the back of the pack are generally OK
follow them and you can't go far wrong!
Oh and a melon is technically a Epigynous berry (+10 biology geek points for me)
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_berry
Wez - firstly loved the name of your easter beer, how's it coming along? Regarding your chillis where about did you keep them? If they are inside then a lack of pollinating insects may be an issue, although last year I had a chilli that was outside and failed to set a single fruit whilst a mate who kept a chilli from the same seed packet inside and it was bent double with fruit! Either way if you're just growing one or two and can't afford to take the hit on a plant not producing fruit then take the guess work out of it and pollinate by hand with a small paintbrush. If you want to know anything chilli related then look no further than The Chile Man at http://www.thechileman.org/. Incidentally he is about to launch a line in super hot sauces for those of you who enjoy fiery food!
I found it quite amusing that the chillies he's using for these sauces weigh in at a hefty 1 million scoville heat units, US police issue pepper spray is only 5 million scoville heat units and the fieriest jalapeno only comes in at 6000 so you know it's going to be an evil sauce!
I'm not too sure about Percy Thrower I was always more of a Geoff Hamilton kid!
PS: I'll gladly edit this post if it seems like an advert for either T&M or the Chile Man I don't want to upset the admins!
Mysterio - I've never grown melons myself but I've heard you can grow them in this country in a greenhouse or polytunnel, asuming that you're in the UK (given your name I'd guess we're not likely to find out
). To maximise your chances I'd recommend you find a variety that is fast maturing for our (relatively) short summers and start them off early. From a cursory glance I'd recommend something like Yellow Baby from Thompson and Morgan http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/product/521/1I think they're heavy feeders so growing them in spent hop compost may not be the best idea start them in something with a bit of manure. Unlike home brewing the instructions on the back of the pack are generally OK
follow them and you can't go far wrong! Oh and a melon is technically a Epigynous berry (+10 biology geek points for me)
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_berry
Wez - firstly loved the name of your easter beer, how's it coming along? Regarding your chillis where about did you keep them? If they are inside then a lack of pollinating insects may be an issue, although last year I had a chilli that was outside and failed to set a single fruit whilst a mate who kept a chilli from the same seed packet inside and it was bent double with fruit! Either way if you're just growing one or two and can't afford to take the hit on a plant not producing fruit then take the guess work out of it and pollinate by hand with a small paintbrush. If you want to know anything chilli related then look no further than The Chile Man at http://www.thechileman.org/. Incidentally he is about to launch a line in super hot sauces for those of you who enjoy fiery food!
I found it quite amusing that the chillies he's using for these sauces weigh in at a hefty 1 million scoville heat units, US police issue pepper spray is only 5 million scoville heat units and the fieriest jalapeno only comes in at 6000 so you know it's going to be an evil sauce!
I'm not too sure about Percy Thrower I was always more of a Geoff Hamilton kid!
PS: I'll gladly edit this post if it seems like an advert for either T&M or the Chile Man I don't want to upset the admins!
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mysterio
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J_P
It's nice to be able to give something back
Just out of interest where did you get your hops from and are they brewing quality? My good lady friend would like me to build an arbour and expects me to grow the wild roses I've taken cuttings from up and over it. However if I find out I could grow my own hops the roses are going the way of Elvis! That's J_P slang for leaving the building! It'll be hops all the way you can't drink roses!!
Just out of interest where did you get your hops from and are they brewing quality? My good lady friend would like me to build an arbour and expects me to grow the wild roses I've taken cuttings from up and over it. However if I find out I could grow my own hops the roses are going the way of Elvis! That's J_P slang for leaving the building! It'll be hops all the way you can't drink roses!!
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mysterio
Try searching for the thread 'hop growing for 2007'. Myself and a few others got ours from essentiallyhops.co.uk. This is my first year growing them and they're a couple of feet high so far. Most are hops good for brewing (mine are Challenger, Fuggles and Goldings), but there are a few decorative varieties aswell.