Hi,
I am looking for some advice on recipes and beer tastes. I am fairly new to homebrewing and I have a fairly unrefined palate, I tend to know what I like and don't like but find it hard describing why. One of my favourite beers at the moment is three swords from kirkstall brewery. One of the reasons I like it so much is the aftertaste, which can best be described as thirst quenching and I *think* a bit dry and bitter ( but I am not 100% on that!). I don't think it is a hop flavor but I cannot be sure.
So, can anyone recommend a recipe which is similar to three swords or that has these qualities?
If it is a dryness that I am tasting would mashing at a lower temperature help achieve this as well as getting the yeast right? But then again, it might be a high bitterness I am tasting!
The brewery describes the beer as 'spectacularly thirst-quenching. Three different hops give this beer a delightful citrus nose. '
Thanks for any advice, sorry if it all sounds a bit vague and if I have my descriptions wrong, I am just a beginner!
something like kirkstall's three swords
-
seymour
- It's definitely Lock In Time
- Posts: 6390
- Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:51 pm
- Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA
- Contact:
Re: something like kirkstall's three swords
Welcome to Jim's!
The main distinction about Kirkstall's Three Swords is the blend of three American hops. I discovered which three on this website: http://www.leedsguide.co.uk/review/feat ... wery/18952
Citra, Simcoe, Centennial
This beer is extremely pale, but nonetheless nutty, biscuity, some even describe a toffee-like sweetness, so that sure sounds like Maris Otter or another high-quality English two-row barley malt. However, the article also reveals the Kirkstall brewer formerly headed Vertical Drinks, the UK distributor of Sierra Nevada. It's certainly possible that such a big fan would want to mimic the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale recipe:
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada - Chico, California, USA
OG: 1053
ABV: 5.6%
IBU: 37
Colour: pale amber
Grainbill: 93.9% Pale, 6.1% Crystal Malt 60L
Hops: Perle (90 min), Cascade (45 min), Cascade (at flame-out), Cascade (dry hops in fermentor)
Yeast: Sierra Nevada proprietary American Ale strain, the ubiquitous "Chico strain", bottles contain primary strain, also available as US-05 dry yeast, White Labs WLP001, Wyeast 1056.
Therefore, I would guess it goes something like this:
Kirkstall Three Swords (Best Bitter)
Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
OG: 1044
ABV: 4.5%
IBU: 30
Colour: very pale golden amber
Grainbill: 97% Maris Otter, 3% Crystal Malt
Hops: Centennial (90 min), Simcoe (45 min), Citra (at flame-out), small quantity of all three (dry hops in fermentor)?
Yeast: Sierra Nevada proprietary American Ale strain, the ubiquitous "Chico strain", bottles contain primary strain, also available as US-05 dry yeast, White Labs WLP001, Wyeast 1056.
The main distinction about Kirkstall's Three Swords is the blend of three American hops. I discovered which three on this website: http://www.leedsguide.co.uk/review/feat ... wery/18952
Citra, Simcoe, Centennial
This beer is extremely pale, but nonetheless nutty, biscuity, some even describe a toffee-like sweetness, so that sure sounds like Maris Otter or another high-quality English two-row barley malt. However, the article also reveals the Kirkstall brewer formerly headed Vertical Drinks, the UK distributor of Sierra Nevada. It's certainly possible that such a big fan would want to mimic the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale recipe:
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada - Chico, California, USA
OG: 1053
ABV: 5.6%
IBU: 37
Colour: pale amber
Grainbill: 93.9% Pale, 6.1% Crystal Malt 60L
Hops: Perle (90 min), Cascade (45 min), Cascade (at flame-out), Cascade (dry hops in fermentor)
Yeast: Sierra Nevada proprietary American Ale strain, the ubiquitous "Chico strain", bottles contain primary strain, also available as US-05 dry yeast, White Labs WLP001, Wyeast 1056.
Therefore, I would guess it goes something like this:
Kirkstall Three Swords (Best Bitter)
Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
OG: 1044
ABV: 4.5%
IBU: 30
Colour: very pale golden amber
Grainbill: 97% Maris Otter, 3% Crystal Malt
Hops: Centennial (90 min), Simcoe (45 min), Citra (at flame-out), small quantity of all three (dry hops in fermentor)?
Yeast: Sierra Nevada proprietary American Ale strain, the ubiquitous "Chico strain", bottles contain primary strain, also available as US-05 dry yeast, White Labs WLP001, Wyeast 1056.
Re: something like kirkstall's three swords
I seem to remember also trying this beer as well as the Dissolution on a recent trip to Leeds. It was a very nice beer indeed!
Using Centennial, Simcoe and Citra should produce a beer to be proud of! I've done three brews as a novice with similar US hops (only about 10 BIABs in total since last September under my belt), and they have been some of the most memorable and tasty brews I've done!
Using Centennial, Simcoe and Citra should produce a beer to be proud of! I've done three brews as a novice with similar US hops (only about 10 BIABs in total since last September under my belt), and they have been some of the most memorable and tasty brews I've done!
-
oliver tate
Re: something like kirkstall's three swords
Thanks for replies! Much appreciated. Your knowledge of beer is impressive Seymour!
I think I have all of them hops so I will try something along those lines.
With regards yeast, I have been doing a little research, would wlp007 help produce the dryish, thirst quenching quality I am looking for, or would hat be a bit too much?
Thanks
I think I have all of them hops so I will try something along those lines.
With regards yeast, I have been doing a little research, would wlp007 help produce the dryish, thirst quenching quality I am looking for, or would hat be a bit too much?
Thanks
-
seymour
- It's definitely Lock In Time
- Posts: 6390
- Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:51 pm
- Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA
- Contact:
Re: something like kirkstall's three swords
I'm pretty sure they use the Chico/Sierra Nevada/American Ale strain, but it's a personal mission of mine to wean people away from that boring workhorse yeast, back to more interesting historic English ale strains. So, WLP007 it is!
-
oliver tate
Re: something like kirkstall's three swords
I did a brew using the ingredients set out above and wlp007 yeast and am currently sat in the sunshine enjoying my first pint of it. It's spot on for what I wanted. Dry, mouth watering with citrus flavours. Thanks for the advice!
-
seymour
- It's definitely Lock In Time
- Posts: 6390
- Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:51 pm
- Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA
- Contact:
Re: something like kirkstall's three swords
That's great news, well done. Cheers!oliver tate wrote:I did a brew using the ingredients set out above and wlp007 yeast and am currently sat in the sunshine enjoying my first pint of it. It's spot on for what I wanted. Dry, mouth watering with citrus flavours. Thanks for the advice!