All Challenger brews

[prodigal2]

Ok I am now thinking that once I have done the Styrian Stunner, I want to do a all challenger ale.
currently I am looking at:



Real Ale Almanac Coniston BLUEBIRD BITTER

Bluebird Bitter 5 gallon batch OG 1036 ABV 3.6% 22 units of colour.

MARIS OTTER PALE MALT 3290 gms
CRYSTAL MALT 170 gms

HOPS boil time 90 minutes 37 EBU

CHALLENGER 40 gms

Add 20 gms CHALLENGER last 15 minutes.

Yeast of your choice.

real Ale Almanac Crouch Vale Brewery BEST BITTER

Best Bitter 5 gallon batch Og1040 ABV 4% 31 units of colour

MARIS OTTER PALE MALT 3790 gms
ROAST BARLEY 80 gms

HOPS boil time 90 minutes 35 EBU

CHALLENGER 37 gms

Add 20 gms CHALLENGER last 15 minutes

Yeast of your choice.

What do people think I should do?
Or perhaps more importantly does any one have any all challenger brews they wish to share whatever the style, that I perhaps could do, or that can be left here for fellow members looking for a all challenger ale

[iowalad]

Thanks for doing the leg work -
This past weekend I had jotted done due an all challenger brew (which means sometime in 2009 probably). I always claim that I like challenger but I always use it with goldings as a late addition.

Conninstons gets my vote.

Although I am curious to start experimenting with roast barley outside of stouts.

Really looking forward to hearing about this one when it is done.

[bitter_dave]

My vote would also go for Bluebird, but then the beers I make using crystal always come out better than those with just pale malt, which probably says more about my limitations as a brewer than anything else I would also be tempted to steep some hops at the end, but that's just me again.

If you're using Wheeler's formula for working out the amount of bittering hops to use I'd personally reduce the IBUs a bit because I suspect that it will be very bitter for that gravity. If you're using software like promash I think 37 IBUs will be fine.

I'm quite tempted to have a go at this one myself now

[prodigal2]

My GFBW is tasting pretty good at the moment. If you don't have wheat then swap it for pale malt (as that was what the original recipe intended anyway).

I'll dig it out and put it into this thread

I remember looking at it and going AHHa bingo just what I'm looking for

[prodigal2]

The only problem DaaB is its Challenger AND goldings, I'm on the quest to do a single hop brew. Its part of my learning curve at the moment to do mainly single hop brews to get my head around hop characteristics

[spearmint-wino]

Well they're both really tasty!

The Crouch Vale I brewed recently to Marc Ollosson's recipe had Goldings in at the end for flavour and aroma, as opposed to being an all-challenger brew... can't see how you'd go wrong with the almanac version though (the recipe I used gave 33 IBUs - see the blog or my post on here for the recipe if interested )

[mysterio]

Bluebird is an excellent all Challenger beer, I plan to make a similar beer if I get any hops off my Challenger plant.

I would tend to add more hops nearer the end if you want to be able to taste the hops.

[prodigal2]

Bluebird is an excellent all Challenger beer, I plan to make a similar beer if I get any hops off my Challenger plant.

I would tend to add more hops nearer the end if you want to be able to taste the hops.

I must admit I am being drawn more to the bluebird than the crouch vale.
That is unless something else crops up.

I did do a search through the forum for more recipes but there where so many that were not single hop ales, that come page 3 I got text blindness

[FlippinMental]

bluebird gets my vote. it's one of my favourites.

FM

[roger the dog]

Prodigal, have you got Marc Ollosson's book ? There are several all Challenger recipes in the back section.
I'm afraid I haven't had chance to actually brew any of them yet but the feedback from others around here that have made beer from his book is overwhelmingly positive.

If you haven't got it (and assuming it's OK with Marc & the mods. ) I'll post some if you're interested.

[prodigal2]

Prodigal, have you got Marc Ollosson's book ? There are several all Challenger recipes in the back section.
I'm afraid I haven't had chance to actually brew any of them yet but the feedback from others around here that have made beer from his book is overwhelmingly positive.

If you haven't got it (and assuming it's OK with Marc & the mods. ) I'll post some if you're interested.

Oh bugger, slipped my mind I was going to order his book the other month, cheers RTD as ever
If I get any probs I'll PM you cheers though for the kind offer

[Vossy1]

I've also been following the single hop learning curve P2, a very good idea IMHO

As RTD says there are plent of single hop brews in Marc's book, and I've not been let down by any of his brews yet

[Orkney_Rob]

Mmmm Bluebird! Lovely stuff, spent a very... I would say memorable, but that is very definatly not right, day in the Black Bull in Coniston village enjoying several gallons of the stuff a few years back

[Ross]

This is a recipe from the now closed Porchester Brewery. It's a beautiful drop...
I now sub half a kilo of wheat which gives it a beautiful lacey head.

Catapult Pale Ale
Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)
Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 26.00 L
Boil Size: 37.72 L
Boil Time: 90 min
Taste Notes: Lovely spicy beer - clean & refreshing - really nice

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
5.80 kg MO Pale Malt UK (5.9 EBC) Grain 100.0 %
40.00 gm Challenger [7.00%] (80 min) Hops 30.0 IBU
10.00 gm Challenger [7.00%] (20 min) Hops 4.3 IBU
15.00 gm Challenger [7.00%] (90 min) (Mash Hop) Hops 2.3 IBU
20.00 gm Challenger [7.00%] (20 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
1.00 tsp Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 90.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Table Salt (Boil 90.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs London Ale III (Wyeast Labs #1318) Yeast-Ale

Est Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.052 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.015 SG

cheers Ross

[prodigal2]

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.