Hopheadish?

[tomU]

Hi all,
Having carried out my first all grain attempt last week, I'd like to have a go at making a refreshing hoppy summery ale similar to Dark Star Hophead. The website says its full bodied despite its low strength, so maybe carapils is needed? I know they chuck in a load of cascade late on - any ideas on copper hops? More cascade? Anyone fancy putting together a recipe idea

Cheers in advance

[bconnery]

Timing!
I was just about to hop on and post my attempt at a recipe.
I've only tried this beer once a few years ago now but from reading, guessing and what is known, i.e. lots of late Cascade, I've come up with this...

I've kept it light in colour. The munich is to give a bit of a malty background, even though I know it isn't probably what is used, although with Darkstar you can never tell...
I've used Perle in the recipe because that was what I currently have but by the time I make this it will be Maris Otter.

I'll probably mash higher for body rather than use carapils. I had planned to use wyeast 1322 Northwest ale, which is a US ale yeast meant to be originally from England, but for body I might go for Windsor as it always finishes so high for me unless I mash fairly low.

I may also add a 0 min addition or else dry hop for some aroma but I was thinking to leave it at flavour and let the yeast come through a bit.
Northen brewer because I have it and really should use up some of the shiny bags in the freezer, but I might switch to Goldings or First Gold.

Frequent drinkers of this beer, you lucky bastards, or those who have made an attempt please feel free to chime in with any character or ingredient you think this recipe is lacking.

Batch Size: 20.00 L
Boil Size: 32.00 L
Estimated OG: 1.042 SG
Estimated Color: 11.9 EBC
Estimated IBU: 33.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
3000.00 gm Pale Malt - Perle (6.3 EBC) Grain 75.00 %
750.00 gm Munich I (Weyermann) (14.0 EBC) Grain 18.75 %
250.00 gm Carahell (Weyermann) (27.0 EBC) Grain 6.25 %
15.00 gm Northern Brewer [6.60 %] (60 min) Hops 14.1 IBU
20.00 gm Cascade [6.30 %] (15 min) Hops 8.9 IBU
20.00 gm Cascade [6.30 %] (10 min) Hops 6.5 IBU
20.00 gm Cascade [6.30 %] (5 min) Hops 3.6 IBU

[tomU]

Timing!
I was just about to hop on and post my attempt at a recipe

I was about to say the weathers perfect for it at the moment but I've just realised you're in Australia and I've heard its pretty dismal over there right now... mind you, any time's Hophead time in my book.

I've not used Munich or Carahell so I cant really comment on these, although I'd say Hophead is not a very malty beer so I'd keep the maltiness down. Also its a 3.8% beer so OG 1042 is a bit high if you want to stay true to the original.

I'd also say that 33IBU is perhaps a little high - while the beer is extremely hoppy, its not actually that bitter - I think they steep a huge amount of cascade at the end of the boil - it says on the website:

the later the hops are added in this process, the greater the aroma the finished beer has. It is our assumption that the great Hophead beer must see these late hops for a fleeting moment only - just enough to impart the distinct aroma!

As for yeast, I'm lucky to have very good contact with a pub which takes deliveries from Dark Star every fortnight - I'm hoping they'll do me a sample of their own yeast with a delivery soon

I'll be visiting the Dark Star brewery in September so I'll do some nosing about then anyway...

[bconnery]

I was about to say the weathers perfect for it at the moment but I've just realised you're in Australia and I've heard its pretty dismal over there right now... mind you, any time's Hophead time in my book.

Some recent rainy days aside it doesn't get much better than winter in Brisbane. Clear days, 19-25 odd degrees mostly, chilly at night...

I've not used Munich or Carahell so I cant really comment on these, although I'd say Hophead is not a very malty beer so I'd keep the maltiness down. Also its a 3.8% beer so OG 1042 is a bit high if you want to stay true to the original.

I might drop the Munich a little. Revisiting the recipe I think I copied a blonde ale I was working on at the time...
1042 and finishing at 1013, the estimate I have, gives me 3.77, so that's pretty close to what I was aiming for.
I'm looking to finish higher to emphasise the body.

I'd also say that 33IBU is perhaps a little high - while the beer is extremely hoppy, its not actually that bitter - I think they steep a huge amount of cascade at the end of the boil - it says on the website:

I will probably move some Cascade later, and/or dry hop but again, 33 gives me a BU:GU ratio of almost 0.8, which is about where I usually go for Bitters, I think should be right given that most of the bitterness in this comes from late hops so there will be plenty of flavour.
If I drop one of the additions to 0 this will come down a little anyway.

Dropping the last one to 0 would give me 29IBU and a ration of just under 0.7, which is actually lower than I normally do.

Then again maybe I'd just bitter with something and drop all the Cascade to the 5, 0 and dry hop.
Decisions decisions.

[Benjy Edwards]

I thought I'd write my first post here to tell what I know about Dark Star Hophead. I took a tour of the brewery in October 2007 and the head brewer, Mark Tranter, told me that Hophead is 100% Maris Otter and 100% Cascade hops. Their malt is Warminster.

I suppose he could have left something out, but I believe him. I brewed a clone of it and thought it came out very close to the real thing. I hope this helps!

[Vossy1]

Mark Tranter, told me that Hophead is 100% Maris Otter and 100% Cascade hops. Their malt is Warminster

Almost Townes IPA then

[bconnery]

I thought I'd write my first post here to tell what I know about Dark Star Hophead. I took a tour of the brewery in October 2007 and the head brewer, Mark Tranter, told me that Hophead is 100% Maris Otter and 100% Cascade hops. Their malt is Warminster.

I suppose he could have left something out, but I believe him. I brewed a clone of it and thought it came out very close to the real thing. I hope this helps!

It does help!
What about your recipe? Did you have a bittering addition or just do everything late?
I can guess at the grain bill but with the hop schedule it would be interesting to see how you went about it...

Edit: Oh, and yeast?

[Gurgeh]

i'm doing this tonight - can't wait!

5kg MO (66C mash)

30g pioneer (9.3% AA x 60 mins)
60g Cascade 15 mins
40g Cascade 80C steep x 10 mins

1.047 / 32IBU

I'm not letting this anywhere near a cornie - I'll bottle the lot straight from the fermentor after 10 days.

In fact, I've decided that my cornies are strictly out of bounds for my hoppy pales. they are always to be bottled from now on.

[Vossy1]

Have a gooden G

[Gurgeh]

Thanks V

[Benjy Edwards]

Here's my recipe, since you asked. Due to the hop shortage I did not follow the late hopping only strategy. From past experience I've found that while it gives great hop character when the beer is young, the hoppiness fades quickly, within a week or two.

10 U.S. gallons (8.5ish UK gallons, or 38 litres)
OG 1.039
40 IBU

16 lbs. Maris Otter (7.27 kg)
3.5 oz. Cascade at 60 mins. (100g)
2 oz. Cascade at 30 mins. (56g)
2 oz. Cascade at 15 mins. (56g)
2 oz. Cascade in hopback (56g)
Cascade dry hop

Being in the US, I have to apologize for the units. I tried to convert them, but beware of my maths!

[Benjy Edwards]

Edit: Oh, and yeast - I used White Labs WLP002 English ale, because it's my favourite and I use it for all my ales.

[bconnery]

Excellent.
Well I've adjusted my recipe accordingly.
Although it won't be exactly to what is known about the beer I may keep a small light crystal/caramalt addition as I do prefer what that brings to english beers.
We'll see.
I have an unopened pack of Cascade in the freezer that I had intended to use elsewhere but it might have to go in this instead.
My supplier has plenty of hops
Decisions, decisions...

[Gurgeh]

while it gives great hop character when the beer is young, the hoppiness fades quickly, within a week or two.

Just out of interest - are you bottling or cornie dispensing?

[Vossy1]

Got to be corny or barrel as bottles maintain there hop brightness far better than either of the above.