All Challenger brews

[Ross]

Nice one there Ross
Out of interest what is the table salt for?

And I assume that the liquid yeast plays a big part in the flavour profile in this beer.

Salt brings out the hop flavour, not really much different than a bit of salt on your dinner. I use rain water, which starts off very neutral. The yeast used has a lovely profile, but you can make equally nice with a good dried yeast. I like using US-05 in this style, as it's more the hops that you want to shine.

cheers Ross

[BarrowBoy]

I'd go for Bluebird - but then I'm biased.

Wait a minute, I WILL go for Bluebird. I need to put a brew on next week and, like you, I'm wanting to learn about the single hop characteristics AND I have a stock of Challenger in the freezer.

[mr bond]

Go the bluebird, straight forward all challenger bitter.
I second ross on the us05,the hops will shine.

I did an all willamette bitter last year with that yeast and it pulled 2nd in a state comp. YUM.

The following is a link to some info about single hop beers

http://www.ratebeer.com/Story.asp?StoryID=482

I do quite a few my self to learn about a hops potential.

I'm supping on a 100% styrian IPA with us 05 at the moment,spicy and marmalade ohyeah

[prodigal2]

Go the bluebird, straight forward all challenger bitter.
I second ross on the us05,the hops will shine.

I did an all willamette bitter last year with that yeast and it pulled 2nd in a state comp. YUM.

The following is a link to some info about single hop beers

http://www.ratebeer.com/Story.asp?StoryID=482

I do quite a few my self to learn about a hops potential.

I'm supping on a 100% styrian IPA with us 05 at the moment,spicy and marmalade ohyeah

Great little link there MrBond. I am now getting into the idea I am not alone in my logic of single hop beers to get my head around AG.
Bluebird seems to be top of the list at the moment, and yet Ross's recipe, has tickled my intrest, bbuuuuuuutttttttt I am kinda thinking that the yeast experimentation/learning curve will be part of my brewing program for next year.
I really want to get to know each flavour, as I progress so when I formulate a recipe I know what is doing what, anal, perhaps. And yet I think in the long term a good thing, I guess it is like doing scales when you learn a instrument, your learning the harmony of what things sound like and then you have a basis to mix it up.

SteveD I need help, I have created a analogy that needs fleshing out by a musician

[Ross]

With over 70 different hops in my store, I regulary brew single hop brews to educate myself (& my customers) to what each hop gives.
The basic recipe is always the same.
4.5kg of Maris Otter
0.5kg Wheat
90 gms of a single hop spread through the brew for approx 35 IBU's.
US-05 at 17c

As well as providing an education, some of the beers have been exceptional. This recipe with Nelson Sauvin (NZ hop which gives a grape like taste) is to die for...

Cheers Ross

[prodigal2]

With over 70 different hops in my store, I regulary brew single hop brews to educate myself (& my customers) to what each hop gives.
The basic recipe is always the same.
4.5kg of Maris Otter
0.5kg Wheat
90 gms of a single hop spread through the brew for approx 35 IBU's.
US-05 at 17c

As well as providing an education, some of the beers have been exceptional. This recipe with Nelson Sauvin (NZ hop which gives a grape like taste) is to die for...

Cheers Ross

Is that for a 23l brew length?

[Ross]

With over 70 different hops in my store, I regulary brew single hop brews to educate myself (& my customers) to what each hop gives.
The basic recipe is always the same.
4.5kg of Maris Otter
0.5kg Wheat
90 gms of a single hop spread through the brew for approx 35 IBU's.
US-05 at 17c

As well as providing an education, some of the beers have been exceptional. This recipe with Nelson Sauvin (NZ hop which gives a grape like taste) is to die for...

Cheers Ross

Is that for a 23l brew length?

27L - aiming for approx 5% beer.

cheers Ross

[prodigal2]

27L - aiming for approx 5% beer.

cheers Ross

Great one Ross I always need the brew length as I scale to 16L at the moment.

And the wheat is that just malted or torrified?

[BarrowBoy]

I've just placed my order with H&G including the US-05 yeast and I'm going to try adding the teaspoon of salt as Ross suggests.

Mine will be a 25l length.

When are you planning to brew prodigal2? It'll be early/mid next week for me.

[Ross]

27L - aiming for approx 5% beer.

cheers Ross

Great one Ross I always need the brew length as I scale to 16L at the moment.

And the wheat is that just malted or torrified?

Either is fine - but I tend to use malted...

cheers Ross

[prodigal2]

And on final question Ross. What are the timings you use for Hop additions?

I have noticed with your brews you almost feed the wort, hops at certain intervals, whats your reasoning?

Sorry for all the Q's Ross only 4 AG brews under the belt, and I seem to be like a brewing toodler(but....why?)

[prodigal2]

I've just placed my order with H&G including the US-05 yeast and I'm going to try adding the teaspoon of salt as Ross suggests.

Mine will be a 25l length.

When are you planning to brew prodigal2? It'll be early/mid next week for me.

In a couple of weeks I need to get my Styrian stunner done first, and there is a que forming for FV's and secondries, what with meads, TC's and a couple of beers in various stages.
Should be getting some more grain in the next week and that is shipped in a 30L FV, so that will buy me some space to ferment in

[Ross]

And on final question Ross. What are the timings you use for Hop additions?

I have noticed with your brews you almost feed the wort, hops at certain intervals, whats your reasoning?

Sorry for all the Q's Ross only 4 AG brews under the belt, and I seem to be like a brewing toodler(but....why?)

I just spread the intervals according to the AA rating. If high I add all late from 20 mins onwards (eg 20, 15, 10, 5, flameout). If lower alpha then I may add a 60 min & 30min. My preference in this style is for mainly late additions to get the full hop flavour. I just spread a 90gm packet to reach the IBU's I want, using a programme like Beersmith.
This is not how the catapult was done, as this was not my recipe.

cheers Ross

[prodigal2]

And on final question Ross. What are the timings you use for Hop additions?

I have noticed with your brews you almost feed the wort, hops at certain intervals, whats your reasoning?

Sorry for all the Q's Ross only 4 AG brews under the belt, and I seem to be like a brewing toodler(but....why?)

I just spread the intervals according to the AA rating. If high I add all late from 20 mins onwards (eg 20, 15, 10, 5, flameout). If lower alpha then I may add a 60 min & 30min. My preference in this style is for mainly late additions to get the full hop flavour. I just spread a 90gm packet to reach the IBU's I want, using a programme like Beersmith.
This is not how the catapult was done, as this was not my recipe.

cheers Ross

Right got you. So your not doing the 90min bittering hop thing.
Intresting, I need to delve into this

[J_P]

My vote is with the Bluebird P2.

My best beer to date has been a single hop number - bramling cross and last night one of my lager swilling mates drank two whole pints of it declaring it to be "tasty stuff". High praise indeed.

I seem to have developed a standard malt base of 4.2kg pale malt with 400g of torrified wheat into which I add hops, that way it's only the hops that are different.

Regarding your musical analogy I'd think of the malt as the bass line and the hops as the treble.