Oaktree wrote:Had a few bottles of this (4.3% ABV) ale last Summer and it was very nice (IMO, better than Wherry), but they no longer brew it.
To this end I'd like to brew a clone of this great ale and was wondering if anyone has a recipe (or clone of) Norfolk Gem please?
From what I can find out online, it has Pale, Cara and Crystal malts, plus Challenger and Pacific Gem hops.
I'd be glad to put together a best-guess clone recipe for you, if you like, but I was wondering if you're sure about the hops?
Did you get that from a verifiable source, or was it just an assumption because of the "Gem" in the name? I think the "gem" might just refer to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The brewer's description on the bottle label reads "American and Slovenian aroma hops" which makes me think Cascade (for the grapefruit and blackcurrant which they describe) and Stryrian Golding-Bobek (which Woodforde's also uses in their Wherry and Porter.) What d'you think?
New Zealand Pacific Gem has some of Fuggle's earthiness, but with odd, memorable melon and blackberry notes. Do you recall picking-up anything like that in Norfolk Gem's flavours/aromas?
