AG#047 - Bank Bitter

[SiHoltye]

Hello,

I was pleased with how the low OG, low late hopping regime worked to produce a quick drinking beer for me before Xmas, and with my stock DRAMATICALLY low (i'm buying beer but don't want anyone to know), I reckon next brew on Sunday needs to be similar. That one was a 2% 55L crystal, fuggles to 30IBU including 10g @15mins 1.040 brew with S-04. Gonna try this next 'cos I lurve Challenger, want S-04 to work quick (and think it works well with the spiciness of the hop), the unknown is the higher percentage of crystal malt (8%). Will that slow up the rounding off/maturation of the brew? I hope not, because although all or nearly all MO low grav brews are nice, I would love the residual sweetness and body of the crystal too.

Ingredients
23L @ 85% efficiency, 90 min mash @ 67°C, 90 min boil, GW liquor = bitter
Amount Item Type % or IBU
3.01 kg Maris Otter (5.9 EBC) Grain 92.00 %
0.26 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 55L (120.0 EBC) Grain 8.00 %
33.00 gm Challenger [6.40 %] (90 min) Hops 24.5 IBU
10.00 gm Challenger [6.40 %] (10 min) Hops 2.5 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.038 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 3.64 %
Bitterness: 27.0 IBU
Est Color: 13.3 EBC

[SiHoltye]

In my humble opinion, and for the sort of quick turnaround beer I like, I've over egged the crystal here. Should've been 3-5% 'cos it tastes a bit too...well crystally. It has a dry bodied biscuity-ness that wasn't the sweet bodied chewyness I was after. Think I should investigate carapils? That aside the bitterness level is right, the clarity perfecto, as is carbonation. The yeast used S-04 is OK, not bad in any way but it tastes like a Safale beer, and it tastes like a Challenger hopped Safale beer, think I should broaden my hop horizons. Coupled with the crystal level it doesn't excite me. At 3.5% it'll get drunk quickly though

[scarer]

I've just kegged a beer that is fine but left me a little disappointed because it tastes just like my last one. I like variety and get bored drinking the same beer when it gets to week 3.

My last beer was made with all saaz hops, pale, crystal and wheat and my new one is challenger, mt hood, pale and wheat. I had lots of mt hood pellets given to me a while ago and wanted to use them in a recipe to see how they behave in the boil, not having used pellets before. I also used s04 in both recipes.

I think I was expecting a more "american" flavour even knowing that mt hood are developed from the german hallertau hop but they are really similar to the saaz and that family. I think the elderflower will work quite well with them for next time.

What's not helping is that i'm really into dark beers and stouts at the moment. I'm about to make my first stout so i'm looking forward to that and i've got a couple of milds planned as well

[SiHoltye]

It has a dry bodied biscuity-ness that wasn't the sweet bodied chewyness I was after. Think I should investigate carapils?

imo paler beers don't taste right if they cling to the mouth but carapils would fill a beer out without changing the flavour significantly. You might be after something you can't get in a young beer, malt flavours seem to fill out over time.

Actually...I'd not thought about it but I can't think of an example commercially of what I'm after. Perhaps that's not so surprising if you're right.

[scarer]

I've just kegged a beer that is fine but left me a little disappointed because it tastes just like my last one. I like variety and get bored drinking the same beer when it gets to week 3.

My last beer was made with all saaz hops, pale, crystal and wheat and my new one is challenger, mt hood, pale and wheat. I had lots of mt hood pellets given to me a while ago and wanted to use them in a recipe to see how they behave in the boil, not having used pellets before. I also used s04 in both recipes.

I think I was expecting a more "american" flavour even knowing that mt hood are developed from the german hallertau hop but they are really similar to the saaz and that family. I think the elderflower will work quite well with them for next time.

What's not helping is that i'm really into dark beers and stouts at the moment. I'm about to make my first stout so i'm looking forward to that and i've got a couple of milds planned as well

I take this back, I open a bottle to check it last night and its lovely! There is an "american hop" taste to it and its very nice indeed. only a week in the bottle but it has made all the difference, phew