Bramling Cross

[Swoonara]

Does anyone have a recipe that will showcase Bramling Cross hops?
Something that brings out the blackcurrant taste I've heard so much about.

Cheers

[Mitchamitri]

I have some!

[WishboneBrewery]

If you do some good late hopping and an 80c steep you'll get loads of lovely Blackcurrant

[Swoonara]

Super
What would be a good, complementary bittering hop to go with it?
Or can it go solo?

[leedsbrew]

Super
What would be a good, complementary bittering hop to go with it?
Or can it go solo?

I would go for something like first gold or EKG.

[WishboneBrewery]

Or something like Fuggles of Challenger

*Might have to do this myself

[simple one]

One tip.... don't make it dry. Sweeter the better. And don't just use it for aroma, I had one that did and it was like smelling ribena and a massive shock (bad) on drinking when the taste is totally different.

Ok thats two, but who's counting.

[WishboneBrewery]

I might try something like this:

Code: Select all

Bramling XB

Fermentable	Colour	lb: oz	Grams	Ratio
Maris Otter	4.25 EBC	5 lbs. 15.1 oz	2700 grams	61.4%
Flaked Barley	3 EBC	1 lbs. 1.6 oz	500 grams	11.4%
Brown Malt	150 EBC	1 lbs. 1.6 oz	500 grams	11.4%
Munich Malt	20 EBC	1 lbs. 1.6 oz	500 grams	11.4%
Caramalt	20 EBC	0 lbs. 7.0 oz	200 grams	4.5%

Hop Variety	Type	Alpha	Time	lb: oz	grams	Ratio
Challenger	Whole	7.6 %	60 mins	0 lbs. 0.7 oz	20 grams	22.2%
Fuggle	Whole	4.1 %	30 mins	0 lbs. 1.1 oz	30 grams	33.3%
Bramling Cross	Whole	6.3 %	15 mins	0 lbs. 0.7 oz	20 grams	22.2%
Bramling Cross	Whole	6.3 %	0 mins	0 lbs. 0.7 oz	20 grams	22.2%

Final Volume:	23	Litres
Original Gravity:	1.041	
Final Gravity:	1.010	
Alcohol Content:	4.1%	ABV
Total Liquor:	32.7	Litres
Mash Liquor:	11	Litres
Mash Efficiency:	75	%
Bitterness:	33.5477867905123	EBU
Colour:	33	EBC

Should provide a good base for the BX hops, something sweet with some colour from the brown malt and added maltiness from the Munich

[Swoonara]

Sounds good! Although I may go for a simpler grain bill as I've never used this hop before.

Mind you, I'm wondering if I use biscuit malt I may get a "digestive biscuit with blackcurrant jam" sort of thing going on. Now, If I can just find a hop that tastes of cheese I've got myself Cheesecake Beer...

[Stonechat]

Does anyone have a recipe that will showcase Bramling Cross hops?
Something that brings out the blackcurrant taste I've heard so much about.

Cheers

How about Townes Brewery "Sunshine"?

Got the idea from the Marc Ollason book and adapted it for my taste, liking quite hoppy beers.

Maris Otter Pale Malt 4250g
Wheat Malt 225g
Start of boil
Bramling Cross 55g
End of boil
Bramling Cross 70g

OG is 1040 and FG 1009 and the quantities are for 25 litres.

[dave-o]

Hope you don't mind me butting in here - my question will be relevant to you as well i think.

I had planned on doing a heavily bramling-X ale soon.

My plans were to use about 20g at 15 minutes and then dry hop with 20g after initial fermentation has died down. WOuld it be a better idea not to dry hop, and use the extra after flameout? I suppose what i am asking is would dry-hopping or hopping at flameout impart more blackcurrantiness?

[Swoonara]

Thanks for the input chaps.
I think I'll adapt Stonechat's recipe as I only have 100g...

Code: Select all

Fermentable	Colour	lb: oz	Grams	Ratio
Pale Malt	5 EBC	 11 lbs. 0.4 oz	5000 grams	95.2%
Wheat Malt	3.5 EBC	 0 lbs. 8.8 oz	250 grams	4.8%

 
Hop Variety	Type	Alpha	Time	lb: oz	grams	Ratio
Golding	Whole	6.8 %	75 mins	 0 lbs. 1.1 oz	30 grams	27.3%
Bramling Cross	Whole	5.8 %	15 mins	 0 lbs. 0.9 oz	25 grams	22.7%
Bramling Cross	Whole	6.3 %	5 mins	 0 lbs. 0.9 oz	25 grams	22.7%
Bramling Cross	Whole	5.8 %	0 mins	 0 lbs. 1.1 oz	30 grams	27.3%

 
Final Volume:	25	Litres
Original Gravity:	1.047	
Final Gravity:	1.011	
Alcohol Content:	4.7%	ABV
Total Liquor:	35.8	Litres
Mash Liquor:	13.1	Litres
Mash Efficiency:	75	%
Bitterness:	29.9617033795962	EBU
Colour:	8	EBC

with 20g for dry hopping, and mash a little hotter than usual for sweetness.

[WishboneBrewery]

WOuld it be a better idea not to dry hop, and use the extra after flameout? I suppose what i am asking is would dry-hopping or hopping at flameout impart more blackcurrantiness?

You could do an 80 C steep for 30mins and get a good amount of aroma

[dave-o]

and do you think that would be better than dry-hopping?

[WishboneBrewery]

I've done an all Bramling Cross IPA while I was brewing with malt extract and I had more than enough aroma and flavour without any dry hopping.